A New Beginning
by heartofglass99
Summary: Max Ride, 17, and Fang Walker, 18, are both high school students who ran away from their abusive foster parents. After an unlikely meeting between the two, will they manage to stay hidden from the police? While traveling together, how will they handle the inevitable romance developing? Fax! No wings, AU. Minor Eggy/Nazzy. (author formerly MaximumRider99)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. James Patterson does. And all songs mentioned don't belong to me. In short, all rights belong to their respective owners.**

**Claimer: I own the plot and story.**

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**Max's POV**

_Where am I supposed to sleep? _I thought to myself, as I sat down on the sidewalk. Even though the hot, summer, Arizona sun had set long ago, I was breathing heavily, exhausted from six hours of running. Despite my tiredness, solidarity, and lack of supplies, I had no regrets thus far.

I made my decision yesterday, actually. I couldn't take it anymore. That was it. I was leaving, and not looking back.

I pictured Jeb's, my adoptive father's, expression of bland annoyance as I stubbed my toe on the refrigerator door and dropped a ceramic plate, instantly shattering it. I heard Jeb's irritated snarl, followed by feeling a sudden spark of pain in the back of my head. Jeb's bottle of wine clattered to the floor behind me as I stumbled forwards, wincing and rubbing my head.

When Jeb's cackle reached my ears, something inside of me broke. I picked up the bottle and smashed it against the ground, sending glass shards everywhere. After storming into my room and locking the door, I made my choice.

That wasn't the first time he'd thrown something at me, but it would be the last. I wasn't going to sit back powerlessly, a mere pawn in his life, any longer.

The next day, this afternoon, I left. I ran, out of sight, out of mind. I didn't know where I was going, just anywhere but Phoenix.

Even though taking action for once, with a sense of purpose, felt liberating, I couldn't pretend everything was perfect. I had nothing but a backpack with a change of clothes and a water bottle. No food, no supplies, no means of communication.

Regardless of the challenges I'd have to face, alone, over the next few days, the first task at hand was to find shelter for the night. Carelessly, I ended up in a suburban neighborhood outside the city with no half-decent places to sleep outside. Everything was pretty much either houses, roads, or buildings.

I looked around the neighborhood, and saw nothing. Besides inhabited houses, there was nowhere to sleep. Not even a cluster of trees or anything.

_I really should've thought this out beforehand, _I thought. _Why couldn't I have found a place with more trees and bushes to hide in?_

Anyways, there was nothing I could do about it now. I was too tired to warm up, stretch, and run again, and there was nothing but houses as far as I could see.

As my eyes glazed over the cul-de-sac at the neighborhood's far end, I noticed a manhole cover in the center of the asphalt. I assumed it led to a sewer, which was just about my only option at this point. Of course it wasn't ideal, but I couldn't think of any potential place to sleep remotely close to as protected as a sewer at this point.

I painstakingly walked over to the cover and lifted it off. It was heavy, and I was short on energy at the moment, but I managed to slide it off. A rusty ladder was attached to the wall, and I didn't see any other way of getting down, so I carefully set my feet on the ladder. After bracing my nose for the worst, I gripped the bar at the top and started on my way down.

Three steps down, I heard a noise below me. I froze, my veins turning to ice. The noise became a series of footsteps drawing closer to me. My brain went into overdrive, thinking everything except, _get out of here! _

"Who are you?" a masculine voice whispered below me. I took a deep breath, knowing I had to act a whole lot more confident than I was.

"Max. You?" I asked firmly. Without a response, the figure moved directly below me. When I felt the ladder shake slightly, presumably from the mystery person below me, I hastily scrambled back up the ladder. I jumped up onto the street and walked several feet from the manhole, ready to fight if I needed to.

Moments later, a mop of black hair emerged from the sewer. When the person climbed onto the street, I got a good look at him for the first time.

He was pretty tall, I guess; he had to have been at least six feet. I wasn't the best at gleaning information from first glances, but he looked about my age, maybe a little older, and was wearing a black leather jacket and black jeans. His black hair, dark brown eyes, and chiseled features made him seem kind of attractive.

"Fang Walker," he said, holding out his hand. I stared at it until he dropped it. I mean, nobody went for formal introductions after they were scared out of their skin in a freaking _sewer_.

"What are you doing inside of a sewer?" I asked, wasting no time in getting to the point. If he wanted to fight me, I wasn't going to get caught in a long, meaningless conversation.

"My foster parents pushed me over the edge. I ran away three weeks ago," he explained. "I needed a place to sleep."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Same."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

I nodded. After a long, awkward silence, I asked him, "So, where did you run from?"

"Phoenix. You?"

"Tucson. I ran away this morning. I've only waited until now because my foster parents threatened to call the police on me," I said.

"I've been gone three weeks. My parents would never bother looking for me, much less involving the authorities. I stayed to protect my little sister, Angel. She's ten now, so I think she'll be fine as long as she's careful. Angel knows how to act obedient, and she's strong as well. Trust me, she's the strongest little kid out there. And even if she isn't up to it, she can stay a friend's house."

"Did you have any friends back in Phoenix?"

"Yeah. My best friend was this guy named Iggy. He had a little brother, Gazzy. Iggy's girlfriend, Ella, was also one of my good friends. She has a teenage sister named Nudge."

"Really? All these people were your friends?" I asked. Fang nodded. "Why'd you run away then?"

Fang shifted from foot to foot. "I got fed up with my foster parents. My dad in particular. They didn't pay me much attention, but they were nasty when they did."

"Do your friends know that you left?"

Fang nodded, "I told them to just go on like normal. They wouldn't listen to me, but they couldn't stop me from leaving either. I didn't want to intrude on their lives too much, but right before I ran away, Ella gave me her phone number in case I needed something."

"That sounds good. If I had a crew of friends like that, I'd be living with one of them now," I said. "Just saying."

"No, I understand. But all of my friends' parents did so much for me when I was living there, and I didn't want to burden them worse. They have jobs and families."

"Oh."

"You look hungry," Fang noticed. "I have a can of beans in my backpack, want some?"

I thought about it for a minute. On one hand, Fang seemed genuine and sincere. It looked like he wanted to help, and I definitely could've used some food. On the other hand, I was hesitant to trust someone I met less than ten minutes ago. I eventually decided my hunger outweighed my distrust.

"Sure," I said. Fang put his backpack down and fished out a can from the bottom of it. After using a knife to cut the lid off, he handed it to me.

"Sorry I don't have any utensils," he said, "but I promise the can is clean, if you want to pour the beans into your mouth."

"It's fine," I said. "Thanks a ton, Fang."

He shrugged. "No problem. I was gonna get some more food tomorrow, anyways." For some reason, hearing him talk about tomorrow bothered me a little. Even though I didn't fully trust him, I wanted to get to know Fang better.

I inhaled the beans within seconds and dropped the can in my backpack.

"Max, is that right?" Fang asked.

"Yeah. My full name is Maximum Ride."

"That's a cool name. Did you give it to yourself?"

"Thanks, and yes," I said.

"So I'm dealing with the self-proclaimed Maximum Ride here. Why'd you run away?" he asked me, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

"Abuse. Same as you."

"Gotcha."

"Where are you going next from here?" I asked him.

"I'm not sure yet. Just anywhere but Phoenix right now. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful city with great people, but getting a fresh start is the whole reason I ran away, you know? I wanted a new beginning in life."

"Same here, except I just left today. How has it been so far?"

Fang's face fell. "Pretty rough. Things have been tougher alone than I thought they'd be, but I'm managing," he said. He was lonely, too? I refused to think about the possibility of joining Fang on the run. It was a risky but potentially rewarding

As if reading my mind, Fang said, "I was thinking…since we're both on the run with nothing to lose, what do you think of traveling together? We'll have a better chance of surviving, it'll be more fun than being alone, and I can help you stay hidden."

He seemed nice, and I had nothing to lose, but could I really join Fang? He didn't come across as suspicious in the least, but I just met him. I would be placing far too much trust in a stranger if I agreed to his offer. But what choice did I have? I wouldn't last long at all on my own.

"I'll think about it," I told him. "I'm really not sure yet."

If Fang was feeling hurt, he masked it well. "That's fine. I just thought I'd put it out there."

"I'm glad you did. Are you gonna sleep now, or what?"

"I was going to sleep fifteen minutes ago, but you interrupted me."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Just hurry up and head back down, since I'm getting tired too."

Fang obliged and descended the ladder. I followed several feet behind him, taking a leap of faith in trusting him in a dark, enclosed space. I wasn't worried, though, if I was awake-I could've taken him in a fight within several minutes at most. He didn't look weak at all, but I was a skilled fighter. I was probably quicker, more agile, and had more fighting knowledge than him.

As I settled into a comfortable spot, at least as comfortable as sewers got, I couldn't stop thinking about Fang's offer. Was it worth it to join him? If I were him, why would I want a random girl I just met to join me?

Well, he was definitely lonely. If I were him, alone for three weeks after living with friends his whole life, I would've been feeling awfully lonely too.

And if he wanted to harm me, what could he possibly have wanted? I had no money, no supplies, and no ransom value. I doubted he wanted my body either; there was no way he was camping out in a sewer and waiting for girls to pass by. I wasn't the cutest girl out there, far from it in fact, and with his looks alone Fang could've had any girl he wanted.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I spoke up. "Fang?" I asked. There was no backing down now.

"Yeah?" he replied, his voice echoing throughout the narrow chamber.

"I've made up my mind."

"What?"

"I'm joining you, if you'll still let me."

Even though we were in complete darkness, I could picture Fang smiling. "Of course. Listen, I have some money saved up from working at the coffee shop back in Phoenix. We can get some basic supplies for you tomorrow in town."

"The police are looking for me. I can't go into town so close to Tucson," I pointed out.

"I'll go, then. Nobody's after me."

For the first time in my life, I felt a spark of hope. I had a friend for once. Sure, I just met him, but I knew someone cared about me.

With Fang lying next to me, I fell asleep, with the first true smile I've smiled in my life on my face.

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**There is minor language, and minor references to rape, but that's about it. Anyone 12 or over should be just fine reading this. In other words, this is a mild T.**

**For the most part: Odd-numbered chapters will be from Max's POV, and even-numbered chapters will be from Fang's POV. If there are any changes, I'll be sure to mention them.**

**Question of the Chapter: Would you trust Fang if you were in Max's place?**

**Reviews are very much loved!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fang's POV**

Even though waking up in a sewer was nothing new to me, I felt that something was off when I woke up this morning.

Then I remembered. I met a girl about my age yesterday.

She introduced herself as Max Ride. Apparently, she ran away from her abusive foster parents like me. That immediately got my attention. It had been a tough three weeks running from Phoenix. I had always felt like I was missing something. I had dumpster-dived at least ten times since I left. I wasn't sure how much longer I could last on my own. Besides, even though Max looked strong, I didn't want her running around on her own. She very well could've been attacked, mugged, or even worse.

I didn't just want to travel with her for selfless purposes; I needed her too. Just when thoughts of suicide started to enter my mind, Max showed up. Looking back on the past week, I realized exactly what I was missing: companionship. Max was just what the doctor ordered. I asked her to travel with me, and even though it took a few minutes, she accepted. I was calm and composed on the outside, but I felt a new door of opportunity open inside of me.

Just by looking at her, I knew there was a good chance we would be good friends. With practice over the past few years, I had learned to read people's emotions and personalities well. I recognized her rebel attitude right away as soon as she fixed me with a hard stare when I climbed out of the sewer.

I slowly sat up, careful not to touch the black, grimy walls. The putrid scent of dead, rotting animals stung my nostrils as I looked around for Max. I felt a little bad for her, having a disgusting sewer as her first sleeping place away from home. I'd slept in several sewers before, and none of them were nearly this bad. Sure, they weren't nice or anything, but for the most part they weren't any worse than a sooty train tunnel.

I stood up and looked around, guided by the daylight streaming through the center of the manhole. Max was lying down next to me, still asleep. I wasn't in a rush to go anywhere, and I didn't want her to think of me as pushy and demanding.

I took a knee by Max's side and tried to think of a plan for today. So far, I knew that I was going to go to town, get supplies, and return to Max. Then, we would continue running. I wasn't sure where Max wanted to run, but if I knew anything about abuse, she wouldn't have wanted to come anywhere near her home again. Away from Tucson was probably the only thing going through her mind when it came to where she wanted to go.

On our first day together, all I wanted to do was make Max happy. Heck, even if she wanted to head straight towards Phoenix, I would've obliged, at least for today. For the future, I hoped she could've run for long periods of time so we could cover more ground every day.

Next to me, I heard Max groan and rub her eyes. She looked up at me and briefly stretched out. I offered her a hand, but she ignored it and got up on her own.

Unlike me, she didn't seem surprised about having the first sight in the morning be the ceiling of a sewer even though this was her second day away from home. Even after several times, I hadn't gotten used to it.

"Mornin', Max." She nodded, still groggy. My voice echoed through the sewer system.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah. You?"

She shook her head. "I had a nightmare about being sent back home and getting beaten by my dad. I have nightmares all the time, but this one was different. It felt so….real. I was sure that I was there." She looked down, grimacing. I was never one for comforting people, but I didn't exactly have a choice right now. Plus, I wanted to show Max she could trust me.

I gently placed my hand on her shoulder. "Hey. You're gonna be fine. I won't let the police take you back home. I know what it's like to be beaten, and believe me, I'll make sure it doesn't happen to you again," I said in my most comforting tone. I hoped I didn't make her mad. I was no good at comforting people. It felt especially awkward comforting someone I met yesterday, but I had to try.

To my surprise, she looked up at me gratefully, a faint smile on her lips, "Thanks, Fang."

I smiled, "Any time. So, whaddya think about getting out of here?"

"After you," she said, motioning to the ladder with her hand. I slowly ascended the ladder, careful not to kick any dirt on Max.

When we got out, I immediately felt my sense of freedom return. I hadn't realized how cramped and uncomfortable the sewer was, not just physically. Being underground and in the dark was demoralizing as well.

After spending a night in a sewer, the sunlight was blinding. I shielded my eyes to wait for my pupils to dilate. When my eyes were fully adjusted, I looked around.

I looked over at Max. She was shading her eyes with her hand. Her long, brown hair looked almost like it was burning in the harsh Arizona sunlight.

"So, what do you need in town?" I asked.

"Well, I have a few clothes in my pack. I don't have a knife, though. I could use one," she replied.

I nodded. "I can get you one. Anything else?"

"Well," she said, pausing. "I could use a pen and journal."

I grinned, "Keeping a diary, Maxie?"

"None of your business, Fangles." She playfully glared at me, a smile beginning to form on her face.

"All right, I'll get it."

"Thanks, Fangles."

"Don't call me that," I said, shaking my head. One time? Whatever. Twice, though, was too much.

"Fine. I'll see you back here when you're done?"

I shook my head. "Town is too far. You can come with me until we're a mile away. Then, we'll find a meeting place there."

"Sounds like a plan. By the way, do you have any food?"

"I have a few bars left over," I said, taking off my backpack. I rifled through it until I found a chocolate bar and handed it to Max. "You better enjoy it," I warned Max. "That's my last chocolate bar."

Max laughed. "Don't worry, I will. Don't you know all girls love chocolate?"

"I thought so, but one of my friends can't stand it."

"She's weird then," Max said nonchalantly, opening the chocolate bar.

_You got that right, _I thought.

Max was about halfway done with the bar when she attempted to squeeze the rest of it over the top so she could eat it without physically touching it. Neither of us were particularly clean after sleeping in the sewer, so introducing germs into the equation would've been inevitable if Max used her hands.

Turns out, she didn't use her hands. She squeezed the chocolate right out of the wrapper and onto the ground. It probably would've been okay to eat, had it not landed in a small pile of canine fecal matter.

"Crap!" Max yelled, as she looked down at the bar.

"Literally," I said dryly.

Max looked at me. "Funny."

I shrugged. "What can I say?"

"How about nothing?"

"How about no?"

Max rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Sorry about wasting it, by the way. I know you're short on cash."

"No biggie. It's just a chocolate bar," I said, starting on my way to the road.

"Max, do you run?" I asked her, rolling up my jeans. I stuffed my jacket in my backpack and put it over my shoulders.

She smirked. "Race ya!"

"It's on!"

We both took off running next to the road. After five minutes, she was still toe-to-toe with me. How was this possible? I was the fastest runner back at school.

After ten minutes of running, my legs finally gave way. I collapsed on the grass, my backpack falling to the ground. Max stood over me, smirking.

"A little tired, Fangy?" she asked. She wasn't even winded. I couldn't believe it.

"Shut up. Where'd you learn to run so fast?"

"Oh, I run miles every day after school. I like it, and it's a good way to see what things are like outside of my house without being harassed," she said.

I definitely understood where she was coming from. I had my friends, but sometimes I just needed to be alone.

I struggled to my feet, my legs burning. "So, I'll be off now. Where do you want to wait?"

Max looked around us. I followed her gaze and noticed there was nothing much to see. We were next to a country road, with green grass stretching for as far as I could see in every direction. The one exception was the small town about a mile to my left. Max's gaze finally settled on a tall oak tree a few hundred feet from the road.

She looked at me, "I'll wait in that tree. Don't be too long."

"You got it."

I started walking towards the town in the distance. I couldn't have run, but I could get there in an hour, if not sooner.

I looked back at Max. She gave me a grin and a thumbs-up. For some reason, the simple gesture made me feel a spark of happiness inside.

* * *

When I arrived at the town, the first thing I noticed was the sign; it read "Welcome to Oro Valle, Arizona". In Spanish, Oro Valle translated to Gold Valley. I took it as a good omen.

We didn't need many supplies, so I was hoping the general store would have everything. I walked in the door and took to the shelves. Thankfully, I was able to quickly grab two Nalgene bottles, a Swiss Army knife, a days' worth of food, and the pen and journal Max wanted.

As I made my way over to the counter, the cashier looked me up and down. His fierce, grey eyes and perfectly trimmed beard didn't belong in a rural setting like this.

Thankfully, he scanned and bagged everything without question. I left the store and headed to a restaurant to fill the bottles. After I filled both bottles, took a long sip from the purple one, and refilled it again, I headed back to the tree where Max was waiting.

On my way back to Max, I was luckily able to lightly jog. My legs had recharged since the run.

I saw Max from several hundred feet away. "I didn't know it was yours!" she yelled at an angry-looking farmer.

"Ye city gals think ya can jus' sit in a'ones trees?" he responded.

Max caught a glimpse of me and replied, "Yeah, pretty much. If you don't mind, I'll be going now."

She hopped off the tree and ran towards me. When Max indicated for me to turn and go, I did my best to stick with her. Still, she was getting farther and farther away by the second. I couldn't keep her in sight for long.

Thankfully, once we lost the farmer, Max stopped and turned around. After a few minutes, I caught up with her, breathless. We sat on the grass and I emptied the bag of supplies.

"Of all colors, purple? Really, Fang?" she said, as she picked up the purple water bottle.

"Yeah, what's the issue?" I asked.

"I don't do purple. Pink, sure. Purple? Just no." We're on the run, and she cares about the color of her water bottle?

"Fine, the blue one's yours," I replied.

"Thought so," she said with a smirk. She unscrewed the bottlecap and took a long sip.

We casually talked until the sun had completely set. In the country, there was little light pollution obscuring our view of the stars.

"They're beautiful," I said, softly.

"What?" Max asked, turning towards me. When she noticed where I was looking, she followed my gaze and, after a second, smiled.

I learned to spot constellations, and could see many of them tonight. Back at home, Angel and I used to lie on the roof at night sometimes as a way to escape from reality for a while. Angel's friend gave her a book on how to spot constellations, and we brought it with us to the roof every time. When Angel first showed it to me, I wasn't interested, but it all changed after the first time we hit the roof. I fell in love with star searching and soon made it a hobby. It made me feel like I was a star myself, shining down on the world. Plus, it was a good way to spend unblemished time with my sister. I loved her more than anything. If it weren't for her, I'd have run away years ago.

Tonight, with a good view, I could recognize at least twenty constellations across the night sky. I saw Canis Major right above me, the Big Dipper twenty degrees right and thirty degrees up, and Orion behind me, shining brighter than the rest.

Suddenly, a blaze of light ripped across the sky. It could've only been one thing: a shooting star.

"Make a wish!" Max whispered.

I thought for a second. Then I made my decision.

_I wish for the strength to never lose hope. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Max's POV**

_-the best day of my life, so far._

That's how I ended my first diary entry yesterday. Honestly, I had no idea being on the run could actually be fun. Fang's witty, sarcastic comments coupled with his façade of humorlessness just made my day. He was really easy to be around, at least for me, since I was a lot like him.

I flirted with consciousness for an hour before I finally opened my eyes. Fang was sitting down several feet to my right, watching my every move. As creepy as it may have sounded, I didn't feel threatened in the least.

He offered me a hand up, a slight smirk on his face. I gritted my teeth and slapped his arm. Did he really think that I couldn't get up on my own? I owned him yesterday in a race. I could've lost him within two minutes, but I wanted to make him feel like he was putting up a fight. Plus, the expression on his face when he saw that I wasn't even breathing hard at the end was priceless.

"So, what's the game plan?" I said groggily.

"I'm thinking about heading west to California. I think we both want to get out of her as soon as possible. By the way, before you woke up, I refilled our bottles and got some food," Fang said.

FOOD. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until Fang brought it up; I hadn't eaten for nearly a day. I grabbed my backpack, and sure enough, there was a sandwich inside. I scarfed it down in three bites.

After taking a sip of water, I warmed up and stretched.

Five minutes later, we were on our way. Fang had a map of Arizona in his backpack, and we followed it as well as possible. Even though I could run really well, I wished we had a car to speed things up. I definitely didn't have a license, and I assumed Fang didn't either. Besides, we had no way of getting a car.

Five hours later, we were at least thirty miles away from Gold Valley, as Fang called it. We stopped just inside a deciduous forest because Fang needed a quick break. Even though I was much more fit than him, he was seriously in shape. Besides myself, he was by far the fastest person I'd met.

This time, I didn't bother laughing at him for stopping. I'd already teased him enough yesterday. Besides, I'd be dumpster-diving right now if it weren't for Fang. I had no right to tease him. Although, he seemed to like it and actually responded to my playful bantering.

After two minutes, Fang slipped his bottle into his backpack and zipped it shut. He quickly hopped to his feet and took off without a word.

We jogged another five hours until dusk. I could have kept going, but Fang was completely drained. Much like yesterday, he collapsed on the ground, his backpack rolling off of him.

I opened his pack and offered him his nearly empty water bottle. He weakly took it from me and pressed the opening to his lips.

In front of us, a vast forest stretched as far as I could see. Behind the clearing we were in, there was a small lake the size of a football field. In the soft twilight, the water looked like it was glowing. Fang looked strangely peaceful next to the water.

I opened my backpack, hoping Fang had more food for me. Fortunately, two bagels and a packet of cream cheese sat at the bottom of the pack. Within two minutes, I had finished everything.

In front of me, Fang turned around. "Let's find a place to sleep."

Wait, he wanted a different place? I really liked it where we were now. "Let's stay here. I like the view of the lake."

Fang shrugged. "Sure."

"Thanks," I said with a smile.

He sat down next to me and followed me in gazing aimlessly across the lake.

After a minute, Fang looked over at me, his piercing dark eyes not moving from mine. His features were serious and unmoving, much unlike the lighthearted Fang I knew.

"I don't want to ask you this, but do you mind telling me a little bit about where you came from?"

I stared blankly at him as his words washed over me. _Breathe, Max, you can tell him._

"I had a dog," I blurted out, of all things I could've said.

Fang raised his eyebrows. "Yeah? What was he or she like?"

"His name was Total, and he was a black Scottish Terrier. I mean, he wasn't like a human friend or anything, but he was always there for me. My parents never got around to retiring him or giving him away."

"Sounds like a great dog. How bad were your parents, by the way?"

A cold hand gripped my heart, awakening painful memories. Just a minute ago, living with my foster parents seemed a little out of place already, after just two days. I didn't want to think about them and all the pain they caused me again.

"I-I-" I managed to stutter, before choking up.

Fang held up his hand. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me," he said, reassuringly. I looked down. I didn't trust myself to speak without breaking down. After counting to ten, I looked back at him.

"I'll tell you eventually, 'kay? I'm just not ready now." I wanted to tell him everything, _so_ badly, but my mouth wouldn't respond to me. I needed to get it all off my chest; the bullying I received in school, the disregard I was treated with at home, all of it.

"Of course. Sorry I asked," he said, a sincere but confident expression on his face.

I nodded absently and crawled over to the lake's edge and took in the amazing scenery to take my mind off of my parents. The lake coupled with the towering trees surrounding it made for quite a scene. When I gently put my hand in the water, a small ripple reverberated from where my hand met the water. Under the starlight, it was breathtakingly beautiful. It was like one of those scenes in a movie that was too good to be true.

Beside me, I heard a hushed noise. I quickly turned around, jumping to my feet, before realizing that it was just Fang. He had already fallen asleep and was snoring.

It was probably time I hit the sack as well. Before that, though, I took out my journal and pen and began to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_These last two days have been the best of my life. If I had known how amazing life on the run could be, I would have left years ago. If I didn't leave, I would have never met Fang. He is the single best thing that's ever happened to me. Whichever gods prescribed my cruel life at least included one bright spot. _

_I hope he knows how much me means to me already. I've never had a shoulder to cry on, a friend to talk to, and a companion in the journey of life before. I'm not sure how he'll respond to my (sometimes) insane moments, but I know he'll be the first one I open up to about my past._

_So, to whoever may be controlling my life right now, please don't take Fang away from me. It feels strange writing this about a person I met two days ago, but Fang's given me all the hope I've ever had in my life. I wished to never lose hope on the shooting star yesterday, so it will come true, right? _

_Love,_

_Max_


	4. Chapter 4

**Fang's POV**

When I woke up, it was still dark outside. Even though I wasn't crazy about sleeping by a lake, since I have a mild case of aquaphobia, I had to give Max some props. The full moon's light reflecting off the glittering lake _was _pretty beautiful.

Max was still sleeping peacefully by my side. Unlike me, she seemed to be in a sleeping state of bliss. She was lying on her back, with her arms at her sides, and her straight hair rested on the grass beneath her. Max's mouth was comfortably resting in a peaceful half-smile. Sleeping, her innocent, closed eyelids reminded me of Angel's. Max and Angel looked completely different, but their similarities were magnified at the moment.

I opened my backpack and took inventory. I had a map, an empty water bottle, a Swiss Army knife, a wad of cash, and one bagel. We needed to get to a city today. We both could live on small amounts of food, even if we ran, but water was a problem. Max hardly needed any but I needed at least one bottle a day. Even one bottle was a miniscule amount given the amount of running we did, but there was definitely something different about Max. Eight ounces of water barely got most people one mile, much less forty.

Several hours after I woke up, Max began to stir. She rolled over once, edging closer to the lake. She shifted and rolled over again, only three feet from the water's edge. I walked over to her and gently rolled her back. She noticed me and snapped awake.

"What are you doing, Fang?" she muttered sleepily.

"You were about to fall in the lake. I didn't want to be running with a wet dog, so I scooted you away."

She pushed me playfully, smirking from a corner of her mouth. If I had seen it coming, it wouldn't have moved me an inch. Unfortunately, I was off-balance as well as unsuspecting. I lost my footing and fell backwards. When I pushed Max away from the water, I had to put myself between her and the water in order to push her away. This meant that when I fell backwards, I landed directly in the lake.

I only had time to yell, "WHAT THE-" before I landed in the water with a loud splash. Max's distorted laughter echoed in my ears. Even though my claustrophobia was bad, being in water was even worse. It was like being in a tiny room molded around me. I sunk several feet, flailing my arms and legs aimlessly before managing to grab onto the lake's wall.

Dripping wet, I slowly hauled myself back to the ground. My wet hair was plastered to the top of my face. I glared, unamused, at Max. Her hands were over her mouth and she was barely suppressing laughter. When I narrowed my eyes at her, it was just too much for Max to handle. She burst out laughing. I ignored her and took off my shirt, wringing it out over the water.

"Damn…" Max remarked with a small smile, looking at my six-pack.

I rolled my eyes. Girls were always fussing over me back at home. Most guys would've loved it, but I found it intrusive and annoying. Most of the girls who thought I was hot were slutty chicks who wore as little as possible while conforming to legal standards. Not to mention that they flashed their boobs at any guy they deemed 'cute'. That was how desperate they were.

Regardless of the girls' lack of standards, most of the guys were completely captivated by them. I wasn't sure why party girls went after an emo-looking guy like me, but given how weird the girls were, it didn't surprise me. The fact that most guys were suckers for free shows was really disturbing. If I was like that, I'd probably have committed suicide by now. Max didn't strike me as of those girls, thankfully. She wore a loose t-shirt and exercise shorts, a modest choice for summer.

After I unrolled it, I put my damp shirt back on. I wasn't taking off my pants in front of Max, so I just made do with wet pants and boxers.

Fifteen minutes and one shared bagel later, we were up and running. According to the map, Casa Grande was about fifty miles away. If we ran quickly, we could get there in a few hours.

Since I wasn't at Max's level when it came to speed and endurance, I needed a break after thirty miles. I sat down and leaned against a tree, trying not to show signs of exhaustion. Max knew better. She handed me her water bottle.

"Drink, Fangy." I gritted my teeth but accepted the bottle. Calling me 'Fangy' or 'Fangles' was one of the best ways to annoy me.

I unscrewed the top and took a sip. It was half-empty, so I tried to conserve water as well as I could. I ended up drinking the rest of the bottle. Oh, well. We were going to stop by Casa Grande in a few hours anyway.

Three hours later, we arrived in the city. This time, Max accompanied me since we were far enough away from Tucson that people hopefully wouldn't be on the lookout for her. On our way to a department store to wash up, I noticed a copy of the daily newspaper lying on the sidewalk. Apparently Max saw it too, because she rushed forward and picked it up. Three seconds after she picked it up, her eyes widened and she shakily handed it to me. The headline read:

**SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL REPORTED MISSING**

I grabbed it and quickly skimmed through the article. It explained a bit about where she came from. Her parents, Jeb Batchelder and Marian Janssen, seemed like nice people based on their comments to the media, but given their over-the-top 'sincerity', it was obvious that their tears and worries were fake. I was glad that Max wasn't stuck with them anymore.

I noticed one thing that stuck out to me: Marian said that the family didn't have enough money to overfeed Max, but the report stated that Marian was a high-ranking businesswoman and had plenty of money. Plus, Jeb also mentioned he drank expensive wine, which shouldn't have come close to the importance of feeding their daughter if they were legitimately cash-strapped.

Apparently, Max's parents publicized the pursuit by saying repeatedly that Max was a troubled child bent on causing as much harm as possible, so the authorities would have a good reason to track her down.

I followed Max down the street, but kept the newspaper in my hand. We strolled over to the biggest store we could find. We were going to wash up in the bathrooms here, since we both hadn't washed up for days and smelled terrible.

After we cleaned ourselves up a bit, Max and I walked over to the food aisle.

"It's gotta have protein and not spoil," I said. We couldn't afford to waste money. She nodded understandingly.

Fifteen minutes later, we both filled our bottles and were leaving the store with three days' worth of canned beans in our backpacks. It wasn't a complete meal by any standards, but it had enough protein for us to live on two cans a day each.

We made our way out of town and continued westward. If my estimates were correct, we had another two hundred miles until we were out of Arizona. Since we could run about fifty miles a day, we could be in California in four days.

Several hours later, the sun began to set. We put down in a small forest far from inhabited grounds. I was thankful that Arizona had enough places where humans hadn't gotten around to ruining. Max immediately climbed a tree and found a cozy place to sit. I followed her up and located a thick branch several feet from her.

As I scaled the bark, I called up to her, "You sleeping up there?" She nodded in response. I wasn't so sure about this. She could've easily fallen off and broken her arm. I had no idea how to set a broken arm, and we couldn't go to a hospital since we didn't have enough money and Max would get turned in.

"Max, are you sure?" I asked. She smiled and nodded. I shrugged. It looked like she knew what she was doing.

I gathered a pile of leaves and made a small bed for myself. I crumpled up the newspaper I'd forgotten I was holding and used it as a pillow. Thirty minutes later, I was lying in my somewhat comfortable temporary nest.

I yawned. I didn't realize how tired I was until I stopped moving.

"G'night, Max. I'm turning in," I called up to Max.

"Good night, Fang," she said from her perch.

Minutes after my head hit the leaves, I drifted off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Max's POV**

I woke quickly, leaning forwards. Before I could fall, I grabbed the branch above me to stabilize myself. When I looked for a way down, I saw that Fang was standing below me, shading his eyes from the sun. I tightened my grip on the branch and pulled myself back to my perch.

I wrapped my arms around the tree's trunk and slowly lowered myself to the ground. Since I was still groggy, I immediately pitched forward upon contact with the ground. Fang caught me and straightened me.

"Whoa, there," Fang said, looking at me. "Morning, Max."

"Good morning, Fang," I responded with a forced half-smile. Against my will, my mind presented me with a question I couldn't answer: _What would I do if Fang died?_

I couldn't go back home, no way, and I wasn't sure if I could survive alone on the run. Since my eighteenth birthday was in a couple months, maybe I could settle down, get a job, and start a life on my own. The police would have no rights to rag on me since I would be officially legal. After seventeen years of being treated like crap by my parents, my own new life sounded awfully appealing. However, I refused to picture Fang dead. 'Dead Fang' was an oxymoron in my mind.

Another scenario entered my mind. _What would I do when I turn 18 if Fang is still alive?_

Maybe I could still settle down somewhere near Fang. We could still be friends throughout adulthood. Maybe, just maybe, I could learn to love someone and get married. Despite never feeling true love in my life, I knew it was priceless. No feeling could compare to being loved, held, adored.

"Max?" Fang whispered, frowning. His deep, brown eyes had an unusual true softness to them right now. When I first met him, I had a hard time imagining a comforting side to him. After knowing him a few days, I saw that his tough façade hid a sweet, caring person behind it.

His consolation speech to me after I blurted out my nightmare in the sewer reminded me how I lacked someone to talk to in tough times so badly. Every person needed one, and I knew I had found mine. Even after being forced to live in paranoia and distrust, I was certain that I could trust Fang. The security and closeness in his eyes wouldn't have been so evident if his intentions were bad.

"I'm fine," I muttered absently, still lost in thought. In my life, I'd been so worried about staying sane every day. Now, I had time to think about my future. I would be an adult very soon, and I had no idea where to start my life.

Fang frowned but didn't press me. He slowly nodded and released his hold on me. He studied my face carefully, deciding what to say next.

"Let's get moving," Fang decided, after a significant pause, "Running always helped clear my mind."

He nailed it. Running was my one way of distracting myself from my problems. I nodded and began my pre-run stretching routine. Running fifty miles required at least five minutes of warming up plus five minutes of stretching, especially since we planned to run every day.

As I pulled out of my last quad stretch, I looked at Fang and started towards the clearing. He held up his hand.

"Your pack is still up there," Fang reminded me, pointing up to my branch. Wow. I was such a dumbnut. I jumped up and grabbed the branch I used to get up. As I gripped it, it bent under my weight. To my dismay, it snapped off, sending me to the ground. After I landed, I tossed the branch that came off in my hands backwards in frustration. Behind me, I heard a rough _WHAP!_ succeeded by a startled grunt.

"Watch it, Max!" Fang growled playfully behind me, smiling. I felt relieved instantly. For a brief moment, I was afraid to see the look in his eyes after I screwed up that badly. His left arm had several scratches, but he seemed fine for the most part.

"Sorry!" I squealed instinctively. Damn! How the hell did I just squeal? The only people I knew who could utter a true, piercing squeal, were the sluts in my school after they managed to seduce another victim. They were one more thing I didn't miss from home.

Fang was smiling even wider now, trying to contain his laughter. "It's fine!" he choked out in a poor imitation of my squeal. I glared at him, but his smile only grew. He was practically grinning like the Cheshire Cat now.

I growled, "If you do that again, I'll throw another branch at you." Before he could humiliate me with a sarcastic comment, I turned around, looking for another way to lift myself up. Unfortunately, the lowest climbable branch was several inches out of my reach. I circled the tree, looking for a solution. Before I could think of one, Fang noticed my predicament and walked over.

"Here, I'll pick you up," Fang said. I gritted my teeth, hating to be the weak one, but obliged. He wrapped his strong arms around my waist and lifted me a foot off the ground. For some reason, I felt strangely….safe in Fang's arms. I grabbed the branch with both hands and slowly pulled myself up. After taking a few quick leaps to higher branches, I arrived at my makeshift perch. I nimbly crawled across the branch and grabbed my blue backpack off the end of it.

Thirty seconds later, I landed on the ground next to Fang. Without a word, he flashed me a smile, turned away, and began making his way out of the forest.

I followed him into the clearing. Two steps into the grass, Fang stopped and knelt down. He took off his pack and pulled out his map of Arizona. I knelt beside him and watched him open the flaps.

"Let's see.." he mumbled, "we're a hundred forty three miles from the border to California." He traced his finger along a series of rural roads heading due east. I followed with my eyes and saw a potential problem: a city lay ahead, about seventy miles ahead of us. Fang paused as his finger arrived at the city. He looked over at me.

"Your call. Through or around?"

"Through," I said, without hesitation. We'd definitely need a restock on water there.

Fang nodded and reached into his backpack again. He pulled out an awfully small wad of cash consisting of nothing higher than tens. Fang quickly counted up the money, his fingers unnaturally flying across the bills.

"Fifty-four," he stated. I let that process. We needed way more than that to stay alive. How could we get more?

A sudden realization hit me like a cold blast of wind: we'd need to steal money. We couldn't get a job, since we were on the run. I hated, hated, and _hated _stealing, but I knew it was necessary. Needing the money more than our victims wasn't an okay justification, but it'd have to do.

I could tell Fang was thinking the same thing as I was, because he grimaced and looked down.

"I can't do it, Max," he said softly.

"We have to, Fang. We need it to survive, whereas others just use it on fancy cars and swimming pools."

"It just really bothers me, you know? We'll be taking something that someone spent time and effort earning. I guess you're right, though," he said reluctantly, looking a tad guilty.

I couldn't help but feel a little bad. "I guess we'll cross that bridge when it comes."

Reading my expression, Fang replied, "Don't be sorry. It's inevitable."

I shrugged and stood up. Fang tucked his map in his backpack and straightened his shirt. He stood up and quickly scanned the area.

"This way," he said, pointing down the path. I followed Fang as he broke into a slow warmup jog. We rarely spoke while running since it took tremendous concentration to ration our energy to last seven hours at around seven miles per hour. We didn't run fast miles, we just ran fast enough to be able to cover fifty miles a day. At that rate, we could make good progress without burning too much energy or risking exhaustion.

Our next seven hours were uneventful as usual. The hot summer sun burned against our faces and necks as we ran. Just like our previous runs, Fang needed a break halfway through.

When we stopped for good, about ninety miles from California, Fang immediately lay down in the grass. I sat down a few feet from him and pulled out my water bottle.

I could definitely last a few days on that one bottle, but Fang needed at least twice as much as I did since he was close to human than I was. Next town, Fang would have to get one or two more bottles. We were running low on money, but water was a priority. If he couldn't run, we were in serious trouble. As soon as we were in California, I'd make Fang take a break day so we could just hang out. It was clear that he wanted and needed it, and I could use it too. Besides, I wanted a chance to get to know Fang a little more. I barely knew squat about his past.

As I was looking over at him, something caught my eye. I gasped. The sunset today was really beautiful. The light hues of red blended with softer oranges and yellows fit together perfectly in the sky. It was almost too amazing to be real. I let myself be consumed by the sunset and forget about my current issues.

Sometime while I was watching the sunset, something occurred to me. In my whole life, I'd never seen a proper sunset before. That thought depressed me. Even though my life was hard and I had to dig deep to find the strength to go on, that was no excuse for never seeing a sunset. In fact, I'd never seen anything really beautiful at home. On the run, with Fang, I'd already seen more breathtaking sights than I could've ever dreamed of when I was living with Jeb and Marian.

In front of me, Fang stood up and walked over to me.

"Where to sleep?" he asked.

I looked around. We were in a large clearing with trees nearly encircling us. To my left, there was a wide storm trench. That might be a nice place to sleep.

"You see that trench over there?" I pointed to it, "We can sleep there," I suggested.

Fang nodded and walked over to it. He felt the concrete insides and walked around the grass to the left of it.

"Sounds good."

I followed him over. Fang lay down in it. He shifted uncomfortably on his back. Several seconds later, he frowned.

"Nah, it's too hard. I'll just sleep on the grass." I shrugged.

We found a nice patch of soft grass just by the forest's edge. Fang immediately set his backpack down, lay down, and conked out. Just as I set my pack down, I heard my stomach rumble. I unzipped my backpack and rifled through it.

"Please, please have food," I muttered softly. Thankfully, we had a can of beans handy. Oh yeah, we just restocked yesterday. We still had a ton of food. At least by our standards.

After inhaling the beans, I set the can back in the backpack and pulled out my diary. I grabbed my pen and began to write. Unlike my last entry, this one was short and sweet.

_Dear Diary,_

_Well, we survived another day. Yay. My legs are starting to tire from all the running. I ran a lot at home, but I've never gone two hundred miles in four days before. I promise, as soon as we get to California, we're going to take a day off. Fang needs it too, and we could definitely use a day to just hang out. _

_Damn, I'm already tired. I guess this is it._

_Love,_

_Max_

I folded up my diary and set it back in my backpack. I set my head down and immediately realized how tired I really was. Within a minute, I was asleep, right next to Fang.


	6. Chapter 6

**I made this chapter longer than usual. I think it's my best FPOV chapter so far.**

* * *

**Fang's POV**

I woke up slowly, savoring the comfort of the dry, fluffy grass beneath me and the comforting warmth Max's body gave me. A soft twilight glow streamed through the trees around me. Max's brown hair, swept across the ground, glowed like a halo in the beautiful light.

Along with a strong reassuring happiness, I felt an inevitable twinge of jealousy at how well she slept. My nights were often sleepless and bombarded with vivid, dark images. I was fortunate to still be sane after all the disturbing images fed to me through dreams. I couldn't pinpoint what exactly they were, but I did distinctly see ghostly shadows slipping in and out of my consciousness at night. It almost felt like my subconscious was trying to send me a message or something.

Over the past few days, I'd only had one nightmare total. It wasn't even crazy, it was just too realistic for me to be able to brush it off. Max and I getting caught by the police would be just about the worst thing that could happen. I couldn't let Max down, especially since she trusted me so much. The occasional innocent look in her usually fierce eyes was enough of a telltale sign of how much she trusted me. There was no way I was going to fail her.

My dreams were illuminated, for once, with a bright light. I couldn't tell what it was, or where it came from, but every muscle in my body wanted to run towards the light and embrace its power and wholeness. Every single time, I awoke just before I reached it. I had the feeling that I should know what it was, or at least have a general idea, but I felt as lost as ever.

I sat up, squashing a bundle of dry grass below my feet. The sun hadn't even risen fully, yet I was awake. I was always an early-to-bed, early-to-rise person. In my life, it was basically a requirement, since my memories of waking up late weren't all pleasant. The last time it happened was when I was eleven. My memories of the day were broken, but I remembered a few too many moments from it.

I recalled my fearful shock as Nino, my dad, raised a stick to hit me. I remembered falling to the ground, trying not to cry, as my head wouldn't stop bleeding. Fortunately, Angel, who was three at the time, came upstairs to me with gauze and bandages she found in the medicine cabinet. I was too shocked and angry then to realize it, but little Angel probably saved my life. I swore, if my parents touched my little sister, they wouldn't live to see the next day. As soon as Max and I settled down near each other, I would adopt Angel. It was the hardest choice I'd ever made in my life to leave Angel behind. As guilty as I felt about it, I didn't regret it. I had to do it for myself, not for Angel, not for my friends, not for anyone else. This was my chance, and I took it.

_I'm coming back for you, Angel_, I told myself silently, _I promise. _

Out of every single person in this cruel world, Angel and Max were the two people who meant the most to me. I loved and trusted my close friends back at home, especially Iggy, but I shared an unbreakable bond with those two girls much stronger than friendship.

_They're not gone_, I reminded myself. I still had Ella's number safely tucked away in my backpack, and I definitely remembered where all of my friends lived. Even though I ran away, I knew they would forgive me.

I felt bad about just disappearing, but my friends would get along fine. Iggy and Ella had each other, and were looking as happy as they've ever looked together. As mushy as it may sound, I missed watching them hug, hold hands, and laugh at each other's jokes. I missed watching Gazzy and Angel running around in the meadows without a care in the world. It melted my heart enough to show me what life could offer despite my unfortunate one so far.

It also gave me a reassuring feeling of what home should be. Sure, I may have been living with Anne and Nino, but it wasn't home to me. A home is somewhere I feel wanted, loved, and happy. I hadn't found that yet, but I would never stop searching. Whether it be with my, with Max's friendship, or by myself, I would find it someday. A place where I belong.

Even though I was an especially strong person alone, I couldn't help but long for love. Sure, the brotherly love I shared with Iggy was great, but it wasn't the same as romantic love. Back at home, I could've easily had a girlfriend since many of the girls found me 'hot'. Unfortunately, most of them were either incredibly clingy or slutty to the core. I may not have had a girlfriend, but I did have standards.

A few years ago, I even dated several girls. I didn't share a kiss with any of them, but I felt what it was like to hold someone in your arms. I instantly knew the feeling was priceless, but something just didn't feel right. Even though the girls were sweet and pretty, they just made me uncomfortable. In fact, most humans made me uncomfortable. I had a sense that the feeling was mutual.

Even several feet away, I could feel warmth radiating from Max's body. She was still curled up on the grass, her face comfortably set in a peaceful half-smile as usual.

The sun had fully risen, and there were few clouds to block it. Today was a really beautiful day. There was a gentle breeze rippling through the air, elevating several strands of Max's hair off the grass.

I grabbed my backpack's straps and picked it up. I opened the zipper to take out some food. When my hand was inches from the zipper, I stopped. It dawned on me that I'd never had a proper meal together with Max. Maybe we could start today. Besides, I felt a little guilty about eating before her. What happened to the courtesy and etiquette I learned, so long ago back at home?

I felt a tad ashamed that I waited for my jerk parents to eat their food before I received their leftovers, and I dug into perfectly good food before Max even woke up. How could I treat my captors, er, parents, better than my best friend? Not living in fear was no excuse to become selfish. I silently reminded myself to treat Max better.

Speaking of Max, I just noticed her stirring by my side. She uncurled herself and became still again, this time in lying flat on her back with her arms at her sides. Studying her, I realized how beautiful she really was. She wasn't just pretty, she was beautiful on the inside as well. Max was the strongest person I'd met, but she had a distinct soft side to her. She would've been a perfect big sister for Angel.

_It's not too late for that to happen_, I reminded myself. Max and Angel would definitely meet someday. The two nicest and strongest girls in my life could survive until then. Regardless, I had to tell Max more about Angel sometime. I also knew little about her past. I didn't want to make her sad or uncomfortable, but I really wanted to know. Regardless of how bad it was, I wouldn't judge her.

When I looked into her warm, chocolate eyes, I saw pain. Deep, hard, pain. I didn't see any trace of guilt. I wasn't sure how I could tell so much about Max by just looking at her, but something was different about her. I was good at reading people, but I could read Max like a book. I also saw raw emotional toughness totally uncharacteristic of most seventeen-year-olds. Max and I were both mature beyond our years.

A foot to my right, Max was finally waking up. The sun was well above the horizon line by now. Max's eyes flickered open and quickly shut again. She rolled over once, and a bad memory of me falling into a lake popped into my mind. I was still shuddering at the memory, so I let Max roll right into the cement trench next to us. Albeit minor, the impact instantly shook her awake.

"Aahhhh!" she yelled, before realizing that she had fallen about eighteen inches. I suppressed a smile and offered her a hand up. As I expected, Max slapped it away, scowling, and got up herself. She crawled over to her backpack, her long hair still a mess. I'd learned from the past few days that Max wasn't concerned with how she looked, as long as she could run. I had to admit, I kind of liked that about her.

Max quickly rummaged through her backpack for food. She grabbed a small can of tuna and used her knife to pry it open. I walked over to her and popped a bag of dried apples open.

We ate for a few minutes in silence. Turns out the forest around us was full of loud, chirping birds. I wished I could just be free and fly alongside them without a care in the world.

As Max stuffed the now empty can of tuna back in her bag, I stood up. Max grabbed my hand and gently pulled me back.

"Fang…I have to tell you more about my past," she spat out quickly. "I can't keep anything from you anymore, and it's been bothering me for a few days now."

I sat down beside her. Last time we talked about her past, she completely shut me out. Now, she was suddenly voluntarily telling me?

"Go ahead," I prompted.

Max took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm not sure if this is true, but I was told my mom was a teenage crack addict and my dad was a delinquent college student. They couldn't take care of me, so they put me up for adoption. My foster parents treated me like dirt. Jeb was always drunk, and he threw stuff and-and hit me," Max said softly. I internally winced at her every word. I could relate to it all too well.

"They kept saying they didn't have enough money to feed me, but I knew better. They had enough money for Jeb's wine and Marian's gambling, but not enough to feed me even one proper meal. I always got last dibs, even after the dog. I threatened to leave, but they countered with saying they would call the cops and send me to juvie. I always shut up and lived with it, but one day it was too much. Jeb threw his bottle at me, hard, and I left the next day. Then I met you."

"I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure that Jeb used to be a good guy back in his thirties. He had a bunch of karate trophies and certificates and stuff around the house. He was really strong from the pictures I saw, and he still is pretty strong when he's not drunk. After his son, Ari, died, Jeb grew depressed and started drinking. It screwed his life over pretty quickly. His aging, drinking, and lack of exercise all took a toll on him over the years, and now he's super erratic. Even Marian can't always control him. They should've been disposed of and me given to a half-decent family, but somehow they hid things from the government. I don't even want to know how or why," Max explained. She managed to not cry through her whole speech, but I could tell she was holding back tears. Max was a tough girl, but seventeen horrible years of pain? That would push anybody past their breaking point.

A few seconds after she finished, Max dropped her mask of toughness. It really killed me to see her so down. She was usually full of energy and sarcastic comments.

Without warning, Max threw herself onto me. I was taken aback for a moment before wrapping my arms around her. I wasn't a very huggie person, but I had to be strong for Max. Shaking, she lightly sobbed into my shoulder. I rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

"Shhhh," I whispered, "it'll be all right. I'm here for you, and you don't have to see your parents again." Max weakly nodded, still in my arms. When she pulled her head back for a breath, I noticed her eyes were slightly red, but she looked fine for the most part. Even though it was killing me to see her sad like this, I knew a few hours would've been all that it would've taken to bring the Max I knew back. I admired her toughness a lot.

After a few minutes of trying to regain her composure, Max slipped out of my arms. She rubbed her eyes and stood up unsteadily. Shaking, she wordlessly began her stretching routine. But something was missing today. She was usually enthusiastic about running, but I could tell her heart wasn't in it today.

"Let's go," she announced unenthusiastically, after finishing.

I nodded and followed her out of the clearing. There was a path where we were, so we didn't need the map.

After a few minutes, I noticed something was definitely wrong with Max. She didn't have the same grace and speed she usually did. I hoped it was just emotional exhaustion and nothing worse.

We continued another twenty miles, stopping a mile outside the city. Max told me she couldn't go any farther today. We could hit the city tomorrow, when Max was in a better mood. It was just about noon, but we could only run if Max felt like it.

Max and I sat down in a large grassy field. She immediately sat down and drank the rest of her water. I had none left, and I needed some badly. I had to get another bottle and refills in town.

"Yo, Max? I gotta refill our bottles and get myself another one."

She looked up at me and nodded. After replacing the cap on her bottle, she handed it to me.

"Back in a flash," I told Max with a grin.

* * *

About six hours later, Max and I were sitting in the field with three filled water bottles. I got myself another purple one for the sake of continuity.

"Rockin' the purple, Fang?" Max asked me with a smirk. Ignoring the comment, I smiled back at her. It felt really good to see the old Max back. That smirk, as aggravating as it was, reminded me how much I relied on my friends' support. It was also her first smile of any sort today. It warmed me all the way down to my feet.

"Problem with it?" I retorted playfully.

Max shook her head, laughing. "Just doesn't seem like your style," she replied. She was right, of course. I had no idea why I chose purple.

I shrugged and unzipped my backpack. I had one more can of beans, which would've been enough to last me until tomorrow. Max had some black beans. When we were finished we lay down in the field beside each other.

"So, Fang-something-Walker, we're going to town tomorrow. Wait, what is your middle name?" Max said.

"Fang."

"What? I thought that was your first name."

"Nah. Nick's my first name."

"Nicholas Fang Walker. Sounds good."

"What's your middle name, Max?"

"Carly."

"Maximum Carly Ride. Sounds like a pop star to me."

Max nudged me. "Shut up, Fang! CRJ is an airhead," she said, laughing.

"Now can you see where I'm drawing the parallels?" I joked.

"Shots fired. Who do you like, Justin Bieber?"

"Nah, I-" was all I managed before Max cut me off. I should've known better than to respond.

"Hey, Fang, when's your birthday? I heard Justin's coming out with a new album soon, and I don't want his biggest fan to be missing out."

"March 13." I responded because I thought she should know my birthday, not that I felt like dignifying her comment. I rolled my eyes and lay back on the grass. Max smirked in victory and gave me a quick hug.

"Good night, Fang," she said, lying down next to me. She pulled out her diary and wrote in it again.

I couldn't sleep right away, though. I had a few thoughts to sort out.

Max's past was rough, possibly even harder than mine. It sounded like her parents went out of their way to make her life miserable. Nino and Anne were jerks, but they didn't go out of their way to make my life hell. They didn't beat me unless I did something wrong.

It caused Max a lot of pain to even talk about her parents. Both her birth parents and foster parents. At least she knew who her real parents were. Nino and Anne might have known, but they never told me. Not knowing sucked, but at least I could leave the possibility of real, good parents open.

I yawned. I'd think further about it tomorrow. I was ready to drop.

_Please let Max be okay_, I thought before dozing off.

* * *

**So, a little bit of the beginning of Fax! It's not much, but more will come, I promise.**

**Question of the Chapter: Where do you want Fang and Max to go? They're going to California next, but I'm not sure where to send them next. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Max's POV**

I woke up easily this morning, feeling stronger than I'd ever felt before. I just finished a lucid dream, and it was a thriller. In the dream, Fang and I had wings. Fang had long, black wings, and I had light brown wings. We were flying the skies together over the East Coast. We didn't have wings in real life, but my dream flight felt so right and real. I was thoroughly disappointed when I woke up.

After I poured my heart out to Fang yesterday, I felt our relationship strengthen. I trusted him, and he trusted me too. I knew I could count on him under any circumstances. He was the only person I'd ever met that was as tough as, if not tougher than me.

Although I'd never really hugged anyone before besides Total, it came naturally with Fang. Everything I did with him just felt so right and natural. He was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I wished I never had to experience life again without Fang by my side.

It was obvious that he wasn't usually as a comforting person, but he knew exactly what to say to me. He didn't ramble on with the sorries and cliches, thankfully. He just reminded me that he was here for me and willing to listen to my rants.

I'd never heard a silence quite as loud as Fang's. He spoke more than anyone else through non-verbal communication. Each word he said contained an unspoken paragraph. People just had to read between the lines.

Having been through some remotely similar experiences really made it easy for us to relate to each other. Fang was strangely almost like a brother to me now. He didn't feel like family, at all, but our bond was just as strong as a sibling bond. We bantered with, comforted, and could relate to each other as if we were siblings. Something was different, though. I'd never had a sibling, but I knew it wasn't exactly like this. It was frustrating not knowing what I was feeling.

I assumed Fang and his little sister, Angel, were really close. Being abused really made one rely on people close to them for support. Being on the run wasn't easy, but it was a hell of a lot easier to have Fang and no house than it was to live in a hellish house with no Fang.

For once, I woke up before Fang. It was completely dark outside, which I was only used to seeing at night, and I only got six hours of sleep, tops. We only ran twenty miles yesterday, so I wasn't physically tired. I was emotionally worn down, though. I was never an emotional girl, but Fang's eyes drew my soul right out of me. He could melt me by just looking at me. It was blissful and horrible at the same time.

I looked up at the sky. There were a few stars here and there, but it was nothing compared to the first real night Fang and I shared. We were a mile from a town, so fewer stars were to be expected. Plus, it was nearly morning.

Fang was still sleeping, several feet to my left. We had an unspoken habit of me sleeping directly to the right of Fang. I liked it because I could write in my diary and not disturb him. I was right-handed, so it would've been tough to write with someone to my right.

Fang didn't seem to be sleeping all that peacefully, though. He wasn't moving around, but his closed eyes were shaking. It almost looked like Fang was longing for something. His fists weren't clenched, but they were gripping air. I hoped that this wasn't unusual for Fang. At the same time, I wished this was an anomaly. It would suck to have this much trouble sleeping every night.

Eventually, Fang's quaking stopped and he seemed at ease. His eyes opened slowly. I sat down next to him.

"Fang, do you always go crazy when you sleep?" I asked.

He groggily turned to face me. "What?"

"Your eyes were shut tight and shaking. Your hands looked like they were grabbing something."

"Huh," Fang replied, shrugging. "Didn't know that."

I nodded. Then, I realized what Fang could've been 'freaking out' about.

"Fang, what was your dream last night?"

Fang paused for a moment before answering me. "Well, there was a bright light in my dream. I ran, no, floated towards it. Just before I got there, it disappeared and I woke up. I've had the same dream for almost a week now," Fang stated, expressionlessly. Huh. That's a strange dream.

"Do you know what it means?"

"No idea. Do you know?" Fang asked me hopefully.

"I have no idea either," I said, standing up. Fang stood up right after me. We picked up our backpacks and slung them over our backs.

"So, wanna just get to town first, and stretch and run later?" I suggested. Fang nodded, shrugging. Yesterday, for once, he had actually been somewhat talkative. Today, he was his silent old self again.

"Got a plan for lifting some dough?" I asked.

"Yeah. So we go into a small store, ask for something cheap they're out of stock for, and wait until the cashier goes into the backroom. Then, we just grab money and stuff it in our pockets. We wait for him, pay, and then leave. He won't suspect a thing."

"Sounds good. But what if we get caught?" Fang shrugged.

"We'll cross that bridge if it comes." I nodded, glad he said _if_, not _when_. Fang was usually an optimist, even if he rarely smiled.

We stood up and started to make our way towards town. Since it was just a mile, Fang decided to walk rather than jog.

"So, tell me a little bit about Angel," I prompted.

"Blonde, curly hair, about 4'6, smiles a lot. What do you want to know?"

"Like, how close were you guys?"

"We were really close. We slept on the roof and spotted constellations together all the time." So that's where he learned about stars! I felt a twinge of jealousy. I never had anyone who I could just relax with and spend time with.

"She could practically read minds. Whenever she met people, she could always tell what they were feeling and thinking. It was kinda creepy."

"I can see where she got that from." Fang shook his head.

"More like where I got it from. She always looks innocent, but don't let it fool you."

I nodded, letting his words sink in. If Fang had someone like Angel, why did he run away?

"Why'd you run away, Fang?"

"Parents beat me. Didn't give me food. Nearly killed me once, when I was eleven." I gasped. Jeb had been a huge jerk to me, but he'd never come close to killing me. I'd gotten tons of bruises and scratches, but not even a broken bone.

"What happened?"

"Woke up late. Nino hit me with a stick a bunch of times. My head was bleeding, and I was going to die, but Angel bandaged me up." I winced. Suddenly, I felt strangely thankful that Jeb was drunk and weak. I could've easily run away from him, even at eleven. Nino seemed to actually be a good fighter, intent on hurting Fang. I was at a loss to as why Fang's foster parents even adopted him. They were always either ignoring him or beating him up, according to Fang's reports.

I could see why he ran away. I silently prayed that Angel would be okay, at least until Fang and I could help her somehow. She couldn't run with us, though. We'd have to be settled down. In the meantime, hopefully Fang's other friends could do something to help.

"Smart girl," I remarked.

"She was three. Don't ask me how she got to the medicine cabinet, but I'm not questioning my luck." I gaped at him. Angel saved his life as a _three-year-old_? That was impressive. I decided I liked her.

"Wow," was all I could say. I had to meet that girl someday.

We walked in silence for another minute before reaching town. This one was nothing like the one Fang and I went to earlier. That one was more like a city, whereas this town had a distinct rural feel. There were very few cars here. It wasn't as fancy as the city, but it felt more inviting. I was never one for big billboards and flashing lights. I felt as guilty as hell that we'd have to steal money here.

Fang and I walked together around the town, looking for a place to refill our bottles and get cleaned up. Neither of us had had a shower for a week, and it wasn't hard to tell. With all the running, we were practically caked in dried sweat. On the bright side, we'd be out of dreaded Arizona possibly by tomorrow.

Eventually, we arrived at a small store which had restrooms. Fang tapped my shoulder and led me towards the building. There was only one bathroom, so we had to take turns. Fang insisted that I go first.

The bathroom was a lot nicer than I expected. There was a real toilet and sink. It definitely beat using trees as toilets. I took of my shirt and turned on the sink.

I grabbed a wad of paper towels and wet them. I started to remove the dirt and grime on my skin with them.

After about fifteen minutes, I was done and clothed. It felt so great being clean. I'd never cared too much about my appearance, but not showering for a week was too much for my liking.

I exited the room, where Fang was waiting patiently for me.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Fang was done. We walked out of the store to the cashier's dismay. She probably wasn't happy that two teenagers used her bathroom for half an hour without buying anything. Oh well, she should've been happy we weren't using our plan on her.

We walked around the town, looking for a small store with exactly one cashier. It wasn't hard to find one. We found a viable target no more than a thousand feet from the store we just left.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the cashier asked, as we walked in.

"Just looking around," I replied. He nodded.

Fang and I walked around the store, in search of a cheap, useful item that was out of stock. Fang eventually settled on a fat, purple water bottle to add to his collection. It was ten bucks, but it was better to buy something we'd actually use than buy some dream catcher or some other crap like that.

Holding the blue version of the water bottle he wanted, Fang walked over to the cashier.

"Purple bottle like this?"

The cashier shrugged. "I can check in the back for you," he offered.

Fang nodded, pretending he was just making a normal purchase. He was a good actor.

As Fang was speaking, I snuck around the side of the desk, moving closer to the unblocked side. As the cashier walked into the room behind him, I quickly scrambled behind the desk. I opened drawers and boxes, looking for where he kept his money. After a few seconds, I opened a small brown drawer stuffed with twenties. I grabbed about ten of them, shut it quickly and noiselessly, and scrambled out of the desk. All in good time.

As soon as I resumed my position right next to Fang, the cashier walked out of the backroom. He was holding the purple water bottle.

After the cashier scanned it and I paid him with one of his own bills, we thanked him and left the building. As soon we were out of sight, Fang dropped his impassive mask. His face tightened and he clenched his fists.

"Max," he forced out.

"Hey, Fang, I didn't want to do it either. But we need the money badly." Fang visibly loosened, but he still looked troubled. I didn't blame him one bit. Stealing was wrong. No question about it.

Before Fang could break down, hit something, yell at me, or all three, I led him into a different part of town.

"We still need food and water," I reminded him.

He nodded slightly. I sighed, noticing Silent Fang make a return. Over the week, I thought I'd managed to soften him up a little, but it seemed like he was back to his old self. I chided myself for trying to manipulate him. I had no rights to his life, especially since he was acting on behalf of his morals. If he wanted to be silent, he should've been silent. If he wanted to run his mouth, he should've done it, albeit at his own risk. Plus, we just stole a lot of money, so he was probably just feeling guilty.

Yeah, it was probably that. Just this morning, Fang gave me quite a speech about his excuse for a father. He'd be over it by tomorrow at best.

* * *

About an hour later, we were standing at the edge of town with a week's supply of food and four full bottles. Fang and I agreed to share the fourth bottle.

The sun was directly overhead. We still could get our daily running in today, but we might have to cut it short since our packs were heavy.

We had about seventy miles until we reached the border to California. We could cover thirty today and the other forty tomorrow. I smiled internally at the thought of leaving this cursed state. At least we were out of both of our hometowns. They were anything but home.

* * *

Seven hours and a casual forty miles later, we found ourselves in a quiet suburban area. Crap. It would be hard to sleep here without being noticed. I shuddered as I thought of the sewer we slept in on our first day together. Even though it sucked, Fang made it the best day of my life to that point.

Apparently Fang was thinking the same thing as I was, because his shoulders slumped. "Not again.." he mumbled.

I walked over to the nearest manhole and popped it open. To my surprise, it wasn't nearly as bad as the one we were in earlier. It had a slightly musty smell, and the walls were a bit dirty, but it was fine for the most part. Two parallel platforms ran along the sides of the sewer, providing us with convenient places to lie down.

Fang and I descended down the fortunately clean ladder. We put down our packs directly across from each other and lay down next to them. It felt odd not sleeping right next to Fang. Even though we had only slept essentially pressed against each other for the past few days, I missed his warmth and comforting aura.

"So, Max, how do you like being on the run?" Fang asked me.

"Do I really need to answer that?" I replied with a smile. Fang raised his eyebrows. "All right, fine. Well, it beats being home by a long shot. And a certain dark-haired annoying boy has given my life a sense of direction. How's it for you?" Fang chuckled.

"Even the first few weeks, without you, were better than home. This past week has been loads better though. I missed having someone to talk to. A certain sarcastic dark blonde-haired girl has decided to invade my life and be that person," Fang answered honestly. It was rare for him to display such blatant emotion like that. I didn't know how to respond to it.

"Yup. And that sarcastic blonde girl will invade more than just your life if you don't call her by her name."

"You started it, Maximum Carly Ride. Remind me again, when are you touring?" I groaned. We already went through this yesterday.

"Well, you see, Nicholas Fang Walker, I'm on tour right now. And you're my stage partner."

"I feel so honored, Max," Fang said, sarcastically.

"You should, Fang. If you'll excuse me, I have something to do."

"All right," he said, catching my drift.

It was too dark to write down here, so I grabbed my diary and pen and climbed back up the ladder. I sat on the street above our sewer.

_Dear Diary,_

_I've officially known Fang for a week now, and I can honestly testify that it's been the best, most fun, and happiest week of my life. I can't wrap my mind around the fact that it's only been a week. Jeb and Marian felt like a lifetime ago. I'm glad it feels like that. _

_A new door has opened for me, leading to a new beginning. Don't think for one second that I'm looking back. _

_Love,_

_Max_

As I re-entered the sewer, I noticed Fang was already snoring to my left. How was he that tired already? It hit me that it was probably the same emotional tiredness I felt yesterday. He poured out his heart to me today, at least by his standards, but was a lot stronger about it. He just told me blandly, with his impassive mask on. Me? Not so much. I collapsed into Fang's arms right after finishing.

I tried to get comfortable on the hard concrete sewer ground, but wasn't having much luck. Fang and I were essentially opposites when it came to sleeping. Fang calmly fell into a restless sleep, whereas I restlessly fell into a calm sleep.

About an hour later, I finally fell asleep. The last thing I remembered was Fang's confident grin, burned in the back of my mind.

* * *

**Shout out to anyone who gets the 2 Taylor Swift references in the chapter. There was also one last chapter, did anyone find it?**

**Question of the Chapter: What are your thoughts on Max's diary? Any suggestions for it? Should it stay, go, or change?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Fang's POV**

Unlike two days ago, when all I wanted to do was just lie in the comfortable grass by Max's side, I was eager to wake up this morning. My concrete platform was slightly wet, which was _really_ annoying, and Max wasn't lying by my side. I was slightly aquaphobic, so I was pissed about my damp shirt. Even though it was summer, it was really cold in the sewer. I needed Max's warmth now much more than I had above ground.

Speaking of Max, something was up with her. She wasn't just peacefully lying down like she usually was. Her hair was all over her face and her arms were contorted in all sorts of angles. Much like what she said I was doing yesterday, her eyes were shut tightly and her hands were tense. She looked as stiff as plywood.

"Fang," she choked out. I straightened up. Her face looked like it was made of stone. Her hands actually were clenched, and her head was practically vibrating.

"Max?" I asked her.

"Fang," she repeated. I didn't respond this time.

Suddenly, she relaxed. She looked just like she usually did sleeping: at peace. As I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, Max turned towards me, her eyes still closed.

"Fang," she whispered.

"Yeah, Max?" I said. I thought she might have woken up, given her complete change in demeanor.

"Fang, I love you. I love you sooooooo much," she whispered dreamily, hugging the air in front of her.

"Oh, jeez," I muttered quickly, freezing up. I hoped Max was still unconscious, and that was a random comment.

I refused to think of what it could mean if Max meant it. If it was brotherly love, it made a little more sense. I did love her, but not as a girlfriend or anything like that.

I mean, how could you fall in love with someone after a week? Sure, our week together felt more like a year, but we were just friends. Best friends already, but nothing but friends. Max didn't seem like one to jump into a relationship, and I was glad of that. But if and when she got married, it would be with someone else, right? She was my best friend. Best friends are always there for each other, willing to help each other, and sometimes even willing to die for each other. But they were friends. Nothing more.

Anyways, Max had visibly relaxed on her platform. She looked just like she had two days ago in the dry, grassy field. I wasn't sure about yesterday, since she woke up before me.

What was with that? I certainly didn't wake up late. She just woke up super early. I had no idea why, but I wasn't complaining. If we could get going earlier, we could leave the state sooner. I couldn't wait to finally cross the border to California. Leaving the state would be a major stepping stone in our new lives. Maybe we could return to Arizona someday when we were better off. After a week, I already missed my friends.

And Angel. It hurt how much I missed her and her adorable wide grins, her big blue eyes, and her curly, blonde hair. Most of all, her ability to see right through me was what I loved most about her. I couldn't lie to her. I hated it sometimes, but deep down, it was nice knowing that someone knew me almost better than I knew myself. I really wanted to talk to her soon, even if it was just for a minute.

Suddenly, I thought of an idea. I had Ella's phone number. Next time we reached a town, I could call Ella with a payphone and ask her to put Angel on the line. I could also talk to my other friends. I felt a spark of happiness thinking about them. I missed all the times we hung out at the mall, played pranks on each other, and laughed at each other's plans to take over the world. If only I could've stayed home. But, my family life was way too messed up for me to take that chance. Maybe I could get an apartment someday back in Phoenix near my friends.

On the opposite platform, Max was sound asleep. It was almost like her ah, minor incident, never happened. Besides her hair still being messed up, she looked like she normally did sleeping. Her limbs were all in place, she was relaxed, and her chest was rising and falling slowly with her breaths. Just by looking at her, it seemed unlikely that she wasn't lucid during her 'outburst'.

Once I knew Max was okay, I made a beeline for the ladder. Even though this sewer wasn't too bad, by sewer standards, it was still filthy. I couldn't stand being in damp, musty, enclosed places. For a claustrophobic aquaphobic, sewers were hell in a nutshell.

I grabbed the third rung on the fortunately dry ladder. I carefully made my way up, so as to not awaken Max, and pushed the manhole cover off a little too hard. Unfortunately, it flew about a foot in the air before falling back down and pinching my left hand's fingers against the asphalt.

Pain shot through my fingers and slowly crawled down my arm. I was used to pain like this, but I was usually prepared for it. The cover falling completely blindsided me. It couldn't have been more than twenty pounds, but it was still metal. It was more than heavy and strong enough to break a finger. My index and middle fingers were hit pretty well.

"Crap," I muttered, wincing. With my other hand, I pushed the cover back up just enough to dislodge my fingers. I yanked my fingers back too quickly. My middle finger banged against the top of the sewer, sending a new jolt of pain through my left hand.

Quickly, I made my way down the ladder and onto the nearest platform. It happened to be Max's. Sitting down, I inspected my fingers. On the outside, they looked fine, but something bothered me. I couldn't move my middle finger. I hoped it was just a bruise or sprain, but I knew better.

It was broken.

Crap.

I'd had broken bones before, courtesy of Nino and sometimes Anne, but I had no medical treatment this time. I needed tape to tie my fingers together, so they would heal right.

Problem was, I didn't have tape. And we had no way to get it unless we either got some in a town or city, which would be tomorrow at best, or went back to the town we were just at. Both options sucked majorly.

If we waited until California, my finger would have two days to heal incorrectly. I'd have to re-break it to mend it correctly, and I didn't want to do that.

If we backtracked, we would be stuck in Arizona another two days. That would suck as well. The worst part was that we were probably wanted criminals in the town for stealing the dude's money.

As bad as the first option was, I knew that'd have to be the route we'd take. We couldn't risk getting arrested. As painful as it could be, we could risk having to re-break my finger. Max would probably feel as guilty as hell, but that was better than living in prison or being sent back home.

It'll be fine, I reminded myself. And since when did I panic? I took a deep breath.

That was a mistake. Taking a deep breath while in a sewer isn't the greatest idea. Let me just say that it wasn't pleasant. My instinct was to climb the ladder quickly and run out, but I hesitated after my latest run-in with the manhole cover.

"Good morning, Fang," Max said. I wheeled around.

"Morning. When'd you wake up?"

"A few minutes ago. A loud noise woke me up." Crap. As well as breaking my fingers, I had woken Max. Good work, Fang.

"Yeah, about that…" I trailed off, showing her my hand. "Tried to pop open the manhole and it landed on my hand." She inspected my fingers carefully, a concerned expression on her face. Her face fell.

"Nice going, Fang. It's broken, for sure," she said, confirming my fears.

"It's fine. We'll tape it in California." She shook her head.

"We'll have to re-break it if it heals wrong."

"What options do we have?" I said. She paused.

"We could go back and get tape there." I shook my head.

"We're probably wanted criminals back there." Realization dawned on her. She grimaced and looked away.

"Let's go," she decided. I let her climb the ladder first and try her hand with the manhole cover. She lifted the cover and placed it on the asphalt without a problem. I scowled.

When we were on the sidewalk, we both knew it was in our best interests to find a more secluded place to eat. After a few minutes of scouting, we arrived in a small, compact cluster of trees and bushes. Max and I climbed into the center of the plants and sat down. There wasn't much room, so Max had to sit on my lap. It was a tad awkward, but it felt kind of good at the same time. I certainly wasn't complaining, even though her long hair was all over my face.

Max opened her backpack and pulled out a slightly stale bagel. I pulled a can of brown beans from my pack. Within three minutes, we were both done.

Max stood up slowly. For some reason, I was a little disappointed. I guess it was because I missed her warmth. I wasn't completely sure, though.

I shook the feeling and stood up. We climbed out of the brush and made our way to the clearing.

"California, here we come," Max said, as we climbed out of the brush.

* * *

Five hours later, we were standing a foot from the border to California. I couldn't wait to take the last step and finally be out of the state.

"Do the honors, Max."

She proudly stepped across the border, beaming at me. I followed her across. We ran away from the border as fast as we could.

I didn't look back.

* * *

Several hours after crossing the border, we crashed in a large forest. For once, Max was actually tired. We both collapsed against a tree. The sun had already gone down, and the pure starlight shone down on us through the canopy. I really wanted to stargaze again, but neither of us had the energy. Besides, we couldn't see many stars through the trees.

I wanted to just eat a quick dinner and go to sleep, but I had to take care of something first.

"Hey, Max?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you know that you sleeptalk?"

"Nope. What'd I say?" Max said. I grinned.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Oh, gosh. Tell me, Fang!"

"Fang, I love you. I love you sooooooo much," I said in my best imitation of her. To add to the effect, I made a kissy face and placed my hands on my heart.

Max immediately turned red. Her jaw dropped. "I-i-w-what the hell?! Did I really say that?" I chuckled and nodded.

"Well….I didn't mean it. You know that, Fang," she said, glaring daggers at me.

"Uh, huh. Sure you didn't."

"Shut up, Fang! I hate you!" she yelled, shoving me hard. My breath left me with a _WHOOSH!_ as I fell on my behind. Max stood over me, giving me a strange look somewhere between a grin and a glare. A lightbulb suddenly went off in my head. I suppressed a smile.

Feigning exhaustion, I slouched forward and lowered my head. Max knelt right in front of me. Perfect.

"Aww, is little Fangy's ego hurting?" Max purred sarcastically.

Without any warning, I shot forward and yanked off Max's shoe. Before she could react, I tickled her foot. As soon as my fingers made contact with the sole of her foot, Max's body went stiff and arched. Grinning, I continued tickling her. Max was squealing and laughing uncontrollably and thrashing around, trying to free herself from my right hand. After a few seconds, she finally managed to escape.

"Don't you EVER dare do that again," Max said, grinning and panting.

"That's what happens when you mess with the all-powerful Fang Walker." Max stuck her tongue out at me and lay down. I scooted over next to her and lay down.

The last thing I remembered before losing consciousness was Max's sleeptalking.

_Fang, I love you. I love you sooooooo much._

* * *

**Question of the Chapter: If you could change one thing about ANB, what would it be? **

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Max's POV**

_Fang, I love you. I love you sooooooo much._

I shook my head in disgust. I couldn't believe it. Did I really say stuff like that in my sleep? I hoped Fang was just kidding, but something told me he was telling the truth. Fang wasn't one to lie about something like this.

Several years ago, I heard that sleeptalking reflected a person's true desires and emotions. If that was really true, it definitely didn't apply to me. I most certainly did _not_ love Fang _sooooooo_ much. First I have dreams of Fang getting shot at by a policeman, and now I pronounce my undying love for him? I'd like to check out some of whatever drug whoever's controlling my dreams is on. I didn't even remember my dream yesterday. Someone must have possessed my mouth and said that for me.

Fang was my best friend. Enough said.

Still, my mind wouldn't stop confusing itself when it came to Fang. I _did_ love him, in a way, since he was my best friend, my partner in crime, and the best thing that's ever happened to me. But I didn't think of him as any more than a friend, even though I secretly enjoyed hugging him and sitting on his lap.

Besides, Fang didn't love me. I knew that for a fact. Not that it meant anything, of course. I never had a boyfriend at home before. It was kind of depressing, since I'm 17, to never have dated, but romance never interested me one bit. I wasn't about to deteriorate into a lovesick teenager.

Before my brain twisted itself into a knot, my thoughts shifted into another tragic occurrence yesterday: Fang discovering my ticklishness. I was hoping to hide it from him, but by chance he discovered it. Of all places, he chose to tickle my foot? Really, Fang?

It was more than a little sad that I couldn't break free from one hand. I was well-known at school for my strength, yet I let a guy with a broken hand grab my foot and tickle me into oblivion. Well, at least it wasn't just any guy.

Fang was the most intriguing person I'd ever met in my life. He's stronger than me mentally, and apparently physically too, yet I came to see the soft and fun-loving sides of him, too. Everything about him, everything he did seemed so familiar, as if I'd known him my whole life. I racked my brain for anyone at school that could've possibly been him. As I expected, nobody reminiscent of Fang came to mind.

Still, it felt like Fang was meant to be my perfect 'other half' in a way. We could practically read each other's minds. I could easily see through Fang's impassive masks without even trying to. I had no doubt he could read me like an open book as well.

We were similar in personality; we were both strong and brave with an instinct for survival. Fang put all the boy scouts and jocks to shame when it came to toughness. A mere hard stare from Fang or me could paralyze nearly anyone back at school. It was pathetic how weak kids were nowadays.

Plus, how could we just meet each other in a random sewer? Out of the million places I could've gone, I went to the sewer in the cul-de-sac where Fang just happened to be. It felt way too surreal to be a mere coincidence. We were destined to meet. I was sure of it. So why was I so confused about how I felt about him?

If we manage to make it through this together, settle down somewhere, and live a happy, stable life, the first 17 years of my life might actually have been worth it. I never thought I would see my living hell as worth anything, but if it led me to a good friend and a new life, it might not have been so bad. Heck, I could even smile at the memories of Jeb's and Marian's ignorance.

But not yet. Even though it felt like months, it had only been nine days since I saw my foster parents. I clearly wasn't over them if cried like heck when I told Fang about them. I didn't want Fang to see me in such a fragile state, but I couldn't stop the flood of tears from coming. Just by telling him about them, a stream of memories flooded my brain: my parents making me feel like an invalid, Jeb throwing his bottles at me, Marian slapping me across the face. Events I wished I could erase from my memory and nearly did reappeared to me in vivid Technicolor.

Logically, the best way to suppress old memories would be to create new ones, right? Well, today would be a good time to make some memories. We finally made it to California, after a long, hard week, so we could have our well-deserved day off. Despite his invincible façade, Fang really was tired. I was confident he could push through the week, but he was near his breaking point now. If we didn't take a day or two off, he might pull a muscle. That would mean we're screwed, more or less.

Even though it wasn't _that _bad, I was really worried about Fang's broken finger. I tried to act calm about it, but it drove me nuts. I felt bad that Fang got hurt while I was busy dozing off and proclaiming my undying love for him. Even though it was a stupid injury I couldn't have done a thing about, I felt a sense of protectiveness when it came to Fang. Neither of us needed protection, but it was an unspoken mutual feeling between us.

I looked up. Once again, it was still dark. Huh. When did I become an early riser? Apparently, Fang's habits rubbed off on me. Unlike his habit of being annoying sometimes, I actually liked getting up early. Thankfully, I hadn't stooped to the level of calling him a pop star.

Next to me, Fang finally woke up. He rubbed his eyes.

"About time you woke up, sleepyhead," I playfully reprimanded him. He shot up and looked at me.

"Max? Since when did you get up early?" I shrugged.

"Well, I'm not complaining. Sooner we're up, sooner we can leave. If we have time, we can take sixty or seventy miles," Fang said.

"So, where to next?" I asked.

Fang thought for a moment before replying. "North?"

I nodded. "Sounds good. Anywhere in particular?" He shook his head.

"Just far away from Arizona."

"Agreed. But we should take a day off today." Fang smiled.

"All right, sounds fun."

We both opened our backpacks and took out a can of food each. I felt grateful that I had real food to eat, unlike at home. Even though we had to steal in order to afford the food, I enjoyed every bite of it.

After eating, I opened Fang's backpack and rifled through it, looking for the cash. I was curious to know how much we had left so we could ration our food accordingly. Before I found it, I stumbled upon a piece of paper with a phone number on it.

"Hey, Fang? What's this?" I said, holding the paper out to him.

"Oh, that's Ella's number. I was going to call her next time I get the chance." Ella….Ella…who?

"Who's Ella?"

"Friend at home. Ella Martinez. She was Iggy's girlfriend and one of my best friends."

"Lucky. So, who else was in your little friends circle?"

"Didn't I tell you already?" I shrugged. Actually, he did tell me when we just met. But I was too caught up in the fact that someone was in a freaking sewer to remember. "Well, Iggy was my best friend. He was 18, like me. Ella was his girlfriend. She was seventeen and had a little sister, Nudge. She was 13. Iggy also had a younger brother Nudge's age, Gazzy. We were always trying to get Nudge and Gazzy together," he said. I stared at him. He sure had quite a few friends.

"What were they like?" I said.

"They were all really nice. Iggy is tall, maybe six feet, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He's always been the joker of the group. Ella has long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She actually looks a little like you. She's shy around most people, but never shuts up when she talks to us. Nudge looked nothing like her, though. She has dark brown skin and eyes. She's the girly girl among us and always talks to everyone she meets. We call her the Nudge Channel, since her mouth is always running." Fang took an awkward deep breath, clearly not used to saying this much at one time.

Fang continued, "Gazzy looked exactly like Iggy, except he had short hair. He and Iggy always had pranks to pull on us. The worst day of my life was when Iggy discovered how to make an explosive. Gazzy's farts were already explosive enough, but they made some serious bombs. My mom still doesn't know how one of her bushes is now a pile of smoldering ash," Fang said with a small smile. I laughed.

"Cool. Hey, if you don't mind, can I talk to them?" I said. Fang shrugged.

"Sure. You should talk with Angel also. You'd be a perfect big sister for her."

"Sounds good. I'd love that." Fang smiled. The sun was just starting to rise above the horizon. Wow. I was up at what, four in the morning? That was usually closer to when I went to bed.

"So, what do you wanna do today?" I said. Fang shrugged, again.

"I don't know. Whatever you want. But it might be a good idea just to chillax here and recover," he said.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Turns out, we actually did end up just chilling out for fifteen hours straight. We climbed a huge tree and talked pretty much the entire time. We talked about Fang's friends, our schools, and Fang's exes. As Fang went on and on about his friends, I wished more and more that I could meet them. Or at least talk to them. In particular, I wanted to see Ella and Angel.

Fang told me about how he handled being popular at school. Unlike most people I knew, Fang loathed the popularity. I didn't blame him. He was only popular because he was so hot. He was nicknamed the Goth King, since he rarely spoke, but that didn't deter girls from asking for his phone number. Even though I wasn't surprised since he was hot, I felt a bit bad for him, having to deal with hordes of hormonal teenage girls.

He explained how his ex-girlfriends didn't feel right being with. For some reason, I couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy when he told me about dating Drew, a preppy cheerleader, and Sarah, a shy girl that got his attention. I felt a pang of relief when he told me he didn't share a kiss with either of them, but quickly squelched the feeling. Why did it matter to me, anyways? Fang's exes were his business. I had no right to complain, praise, or comment on any of them.

As the sun started to set, I realized how tired I was from all the running. We'd walked approximately twenty feet from our small clearing to this tree, but I was already blinking sleep from my eyes.

"Fang, I'm tired. I'm gonna hit the sack now." I yawned.

"Sure. I was gonna sleep too."

I slowly descended the tree, careful not to cause any branches to fly back to Fang. We made our way back to the spot we slept in yesterday. Before I could turn around, Fang was already lying on the ground. I lay down next to him and reached for my backpack. After pulling out my journal and pen, I set it aside.

_Dear Diary,_

_Fang. That boy. He's quite a work of art. He's the only person who's ever managed to thoroughly confuse my emotions. I thought I locked them in a box and lost the key, but apparently Fang has found the key. He's made me feel emotions I've never felt before in crazy amounts. Jealousy, happiness, even love. Brotherly love, of course. _

_The scary thing is, I'm not sure if I even want to find out what I feel about him. We're best friends, right? I don't want to mess that up for anything. I don't have to, and I shouldn't feel the need to. He's done so much for me, been so nice to me, and opened a new door in my life. So why is it so hard to see him as a best friend?_

_Love,_

_Max_


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN! This one's extra long to celebrate reaching double-digit chapter numbers. Hope you guys like it!**

* * *

**Fang's POV**

After Max wrote in her diary, we decided to stargaze again. In rural Southern California, there was little to no light pollution to worry about, so we had a clear line of sight to most of the night sky through the relatively low treetops.

Even though we were surrounded by trees in a small clearing about 50 feet wide, the slight elevation difference and relatively short trees provided us with an unblemished view of hundreds of stars. They were out tonight, to say the least.

But the best part about relaxing was that I was doing it with Max. Her wide, chocolate brown eyes gleamed in the starlight. As Bruno Mars would say, they made the stars look like they weren't shining. And that was saying a lot, considering how bright the stars were tonight.

For the first time, I noticed how beautiful they really were. They didn't possess juvenile, superficial beauty, but they glowed with energy. Despite the pain in her eyes, a glimmering ring of hope and happiness drowned it out. Her eyes were so much more beautiful when she was happy. They were perfect in every way. I could get lost in them and never want to find a way out.

When Max grabbed my hand, I felt a jolt of electricity course through my arm. Even though my initial reaction was to pull back, I fought my instincts and secured my hand around hers in response. She adjusted her hand in mine so they fit perfectly and scooted closer to me.

I suddenly paused. Why in the world was I holding Max's hand? We were just friends. I hoped Max just needed emotional support, but I suspected something else. Coupled with her outburst in the sewer, this was a good sign that she…she liked me as more than a friend. My mind immediately formulated a question:

Was that good or bad?

Right now, I couldn't answer that. And I'm not sure if I wanted to.

Before I could doze off, Max gave my hand another squeeze and turned towards me.

"Fang, do you see those two bright stars over there?" she asked me, pointing to a small cluster of stars. Her face was a mere few inches from mine. I could feel my heartbeat speeding up as she moved closer.

Despite what it could lead to, I couldn't deny that I was enjoying every second of tonight. It felt perfect living in a world with just Max and I. I also couldn't deny that I felt a small, but still present, urge to kiss Max right then and there. But it wasn't right.

We weren't anything more than friends, and I couldn't play with Max's feelings like that. Plus, romance could mess up our friendship. Max's friendship and companionship meant more to me than anything else in the world. I didn't want anything to come between us and disturb our friendship.

Perhaps one day we could be more than friends, but not now. Right now, I just wanted to enjoy my night with Max. I could worry about the future later.

I nodded. "Yeah," I said, spotting them. Even though they were close to many other stars, they were much brighter and easily distinguishable.

"Well, they remind me of…us, in a way," she said wistfully.

"Yeah? What makes you say that?"

"Think about it, Fang. Two stars in the middle of nowhere without a lead to follow. No clue what's going to happen next."

I nodded slowly, a smile forming on my lips. I liked the idea of floating around in the middle of nowhere with Max, without a care in the world.

"If only we could be that free," Max said, sighing. I agreed wholeheartedly. Maybe that could be possible…someday.

As we lay in the clearing, we talked about the stars. Turns out, Max knew quite a bit about them. We admired Sirius, Capella, and all the other bright stars.

As the night went on, Max slowly scooted closer and closer to me. Within an hour, my arm was around her and her face was snuggled into my chest. Before we knew it, we were asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

When I woke up, I immediately felt guilty. We weren't just sleeping next to each other. She was on top of me, and my legs were wrapped around hers. I had no idea how we ended up like this. I wanted to spend some time alone to regroup as soon as possible, but I couldn't move without disturbing Max. Seeing no better option, I continued to lie down and enjoy Max's warmth. As time went on, all traces of guilt evaporated and I decided to savor the rest of the morning. Eventually, Max's deep breathing rocked me back asleep.

Some time later, I felt a heavy object land on my left hand. I bit back a curse as my middle finger throbbed. As my eyes shot open, I realized it was just Max rolling off of me. I slowly rolled her over again to remove my hand. Even though I wasn't pinned to the ground anymore, I wished Max was still lying on me. It felt so comfortable and right. I tried hard to fight my instinct to lie back down next to Max.

Now that I was out from under her, I had time to take a look at my hand. It looked perfectly fine on the outside, but stung badly after getting rolled on by Max. Until then, it felt fine besides occasional minor throbbing. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing that it was healing, or a bad thing that it could be healing incorrectly.

Either way, there was nothing we could do about it now. We could explore until we found a town today. I needed the finger tape, and I was itching to talk to my friends. Also, what I thought was a plan for the future was about to come to pass: Max and Angel meeting each other. Okay, it was a meeting via telephone. But it was still better than waiting indefinitely until we had a chance to return to Phoenix.

Apparently, rolling off of me was a quick way to wake up, since Max was awake within ten minutes of her latest sleeping stunt. Max pulling stunts while asleep had become a habit within the past few days.

"Good morning, Fang," she mumbled, behind me. I turned around.

"Mornin', Max," I said, handing her a can of tuna. Despite just waking up, she scarfed it down in three bites. After downing a can myself, we stood up and stretched quickly. We didn't necessarily have to go far today, we just needed to find a town. Also, we could slow down since we were out of Arizona.

Regardless of how minor the physical differences were, my state of mind drastically shifted. Rather than escaping from a prison, I felt like I was entering a new world. The pressing sense of urgency was gone. I didn't realize how tense I was until I could finally relax.

The most important part of not running fifty miles a day was no longer putting stress on my muscles. I didn't want to look weak to Max, but I suspected she knew that I was close to collapse. Even if Max hadn't suggested the day off, I was planning to.

"Let's hit it," she said.

After bidding our small clearing goodbye, we jogged out to the path and started on our way north.

* * *

After two hours of light jogging, we stumbled upon a city. According to the sign in front of it, the city was called Blythe.

"We should pick up a map here," Max suggested. I nodded.

"I gotta call Ella first," I said.

We walked in the city for a while, looking for a payphone. After an hour, I realized something.

"Max, we need change. All I have is bills."

"Why didn't we think of that earlier?" she said, sighing.

"Wait here. I'll get it," I said.

"I'll come with you, Fang. I can't let you mess things up, can I?" she said. Ignoring her insult, I started to make my way to the nearest department store. As I expected, Max followed me. After getting two dollars' worth of change and a map of California from the store, we continued our search for a payphone.

After two hours and several false alarms from Max, we finally found a telephone booth. I jogged towards it and opened the door. Max followed me inside. I set my backpack down on the bench and pulled out Ella's phone number. I inserted the money and slowly entered the number on the keypad.

_RRRIIINGG!_

_RRRIIINGG!_

_RRRIIINGG!_

_RRRIIINGG!_

I sighed. No answer.

"It's all right. We can try again later. While we're here, how does getting some water sound?" Max said.

"Sounds pretty good to me. We should stay close, though." I felt a minor wave of frustration as I walked with Max to the store. I was really looking forwards to talking with my friends, and I would now have to wait. I wasn't usually an impatient person, but this was one thing I didn't want to postpone. I had a lot to say to them, and I didn't want to forget anything.

More than anything, I wanted my friends to respect my decision to leave. Regardless of whether they agreed or not, I didn't want them to be upset. Of course, I felt guilty for leaving them behind, but I saw an opportunity to leave my old life behind. I didn't regret taking it. Even before I met Max, I was far more content on my own, where I functioned best, than with my parents. Despite being a naturally solitary person, I began to grow depressed on my own. After two weeks, I started to feel a slight hint of regret about leaving. All the guilt that came with running away came crashing down on me like a tsunami. After three weeks, the idea of suicide began to make itself comfortable in my mind.

Then, I met Max. She was perfect for my situation: a best friend to quell my loneliness. When I wasn't alone, I felt best in a duo or small group. Even my group of four friends plus Angel was often overwhelming to me. Being with one person who worked well with me was a perfect scenario. I couldn't have asked for a better cure for my depression.

"We're here," Max said, as we arrived at the store's door. I was so lost in thought I didn't notice that we had reached our destination. "What's up?" she asked me.

"I'm fine. Let's just go."

After getting our bottles refilled, we decided to hang out in the park until evening, when we could call Ella again. The payphone swallowed my fifty cents, and I only had six more quarters. I could always get more, but I wanted to conserve money as much as possible at this point. I already felt guilty enough about stealing money, but wasting it would be even more wrong. At least we were using every penny we had to survive.

By Max's request, we sat down at a picnic table and did our best to have a picnic. All we had rationed for the afternoon were an apple apiece, but it was good enough for us.

Between bites, Max asked me, "Do you ever regret leaving?" Looking around, I leaned in close to her so nobody would overhear me.

"Not in the beginning. At first, I was just happy to be away from home. After a few weeks, I got lonely. Then you came along." Max nodded, as if she was expecting that response. Really, what else could I say?

"Do_ you_ regret leaving?"

She didn't hesitate before responding, "Nope. I never regretted it for a second. Well, that's easy for me to say since I met you seven hours after I ran away. I'm not sure how long I would've lasted on my own. I never had a chance to try."

I smiled. "Promise me, Max, that you'll never do something that stupid again." She laughed.

"I promise," she said, tossing her apple core in the trash. I threw mine too, but missed the can completely. Max didn't bother stifling her laughter as I bent down and picked up the core.

"Hey, not fair. The trash can is closer to your side."

"Oh, yeah? I play basketball. This is child's play, rookie."

"Is that a challenge?"

"You bet!"

"It's on, Max!" I said with a grin. I took out two empty cans from my backpack and handed one to Max.

"Ladies first," I said. She shrugged and turned towards the trash can. With a quick, compact motion, she released the can.

_SWISH!_

As I expected, Max easily sunk the three-pointer. It conveniently made a swishing sound as it nestled in the plastic trash bag.

"Pressure's on, Fang." I concentrated and drew my hand back. With an efficient forward swipe, my can was on its way.

_TING!_

Dammit! It clanked off the side of the can and hit the ground. After picking up the can, I looked up to see Max's familiar smirk. I put up my hands.

"Thought so," Max said smugly. "Care for a rematch?"

"I'm fine. Why don't we head back to the telephone booth now?" Looking up at the sky, I realized the sun was already on its way down.

"Sure."

We walked the fifteen minutes between the park and the telephone booth in silence. When I reached the telephone booth, I silently prayed that Ella would pick up the phone this time. After inserting another fifty cents, I slowly dialed her number.

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

Please, please pick up.

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

You better not make me wait again.

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

Ella, just pick up the darn phone!

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

Damn it!

"Hello?" the voice on the other end of the line said. Relief spread throughout my body as I heard Ella's familiar voice.

"Ella!" I nearly screamed.

"Fang? Is that you?" she said, excitement creeping into her voice.

"Yeah, it's me. How are things back at home?"

"It doesn't matter. Where are you? How's it going?"

"I'm in California now. Believe it or not, I've never been better. I met a girl named Max a little more than a week ago and we've been traveling together ever since."

"Really? Where'd you meet?"

"A sewer." Ella laughed.

"I should've guessed. Where exactly are you?"

"Blythe. Small city in Southern California. How is it back home?"

"It's been great! But we all miss you a ton, especially Angel. She's been spending most of her time with Nudge and I since you left." As she said that, I felt a small block of guilt in my heart melt away. Turns out, Angel didn't have to hold her own against our parents after all. Ella's parents were the nicest people in the world, and Ella and Nudge were the two best big sisters in the world. I knew she was in safe hands with the Martinezes.

"How's Angel doing, by the way?"

"She's been doing great! She really, really, really misses you, though." And I really, really, really missed her, too. An idea popped into my head.

"Maybe you guys can visit me here."

"That'd be great! Where in Blythe are you?"

"It's not a big city. Just meet me in the park on the northeast side. How does tomorrow at six o'clock Pacific Time sound?"

"Sounds great. I'm not sure if I trust Iggy to drive three hundred miles, though," she said with a laugh.

"Maybe your mom could drive? I wouldn't mind seeing her too." Ella sighed.

"I'd like that, but she's out of town for the week. I guess Iggy and I could take turns driving."

"About that, how are you and Iggy doing?"

"He proposed to me! We're not getting married until after college, though." Iggy proposed? He was the kind of person who would use a ring as a detonator rather than a way to ask a girl to marry him. I was glad they were waiting until after college. Iggy was a great guy and all, but he wasn't ready for marriage, or even engagement. I was really happy for them, though. Iggy deserved a girl like Ella.

"That's great, Ella! I'm happy for you guys."

"Thanks! By the way, Gazzy and Nudge are sorta-together now. Gazzy asked her out yesterday," Yes! We were always trying to get them together. I guess Iggy and Ella out-girled the girly girl on this one. "Anyway," Ella continued, "how's Max? What does she look like?"

"Same age as you. A little taller than you, light brown hair, dark brown eyes, and an amazing runner. She's a lot faster than me."

"Jeez! How did you guys meet, by the way?"

"I went into a sewer to sleep, and Max came and went in also. I was majorly creeped out."

"How romantic, meeting in a sewer." Wait, what? When did I ever say anything about romance? I recalled my last words, remembering nothing even remotely suggestive of a romance between Max and I.

"What the hell?"

"You heard me, Fang!"

"Ella, we're just friends."

"Fang!" I sighed. Here we go again…."you guys can't be just friends! You're traveling together! Who meets in a sewer? You guys have to be soulmates. Is she pretty?"

"Well, she's a nice person, unless I piss her off. Imagine a loud, female version of me. That's essentially Max."

"You didn't answer my question. Is she cute?"

Carefully not meeting Max's gaze, I responded, "Uh..yeah. I guess so. Maybe a little?" Ella made a tsk-tsk noise on the phone.

"Fang, you're totally in love with her."

"What the hell, Ella? I said we're just friends. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Denial is not a river in Egypt, Fang." I sighed. It was no use arguing with girls. Apparently, meeting Max in a sewer and thinking she's maybe a little cute meant I'm head-over-heels in love with her. Do I understand girls? Nope. Will I ever try? Not a chance.

"Whatever, Ella."

"I'll have to meet this Max girl. By the way, is she with you?"

"Yeah. She's heard our whole conversation."

"Really? Can I talk to her?" I turned to Max. She held out her hand.

"Yeah, sure. By the way, can you get Angel? I need to talk to her."

"Of course! When I'm done with Max, I'll grab her. She's watching a movie downstairs with Nudge."

"Thanks, Ells." I handed the phone to Max and sat down.

"Hey, Ella?" Max said.

"Max! So, how's Fang?" Max laughed.

"He's cool. I feel bad for you guys, though. He can be incredibly annoying, as I found out." Ella giggled.

"Has he kissed you yet?"

"No! Of course not! Did you listen to a word Fang said about being just friends." Ella made a tsk-tsk noise. Again.

"You guys are both the same: in denial."

"Shut up, Ella! Just thirty seconds of talking to you, and I'm already getting sick of you," Max joked, laughing.

"Max, Max, Max. We have to talk in person. Anyways, how's it like on the run? I can't even imagine it."

"It's great! We left Arizona within a week."

"A week? Where do you live?"

"Tucson."

"Jeez! That's, like, four hundred miles!"

"Didn't Fang say I was faster than him?"

"Oh, yeah. Right. Anyways, how do you guys eat?"

"We just store food in our backpacks and eat them in forests."

"And where do you sleep?"

"Anywhere, really. As long as it's not near people, it's fine with us. We usually end up in forests, though."

"You guys are freaking lovebirds."

"Are not! How does eating sleeping in forests make us lovebirds?"

"You and Fang sleep together, right?" Max bit back a curse. Ella had her there. Despite myself, I couldn't help but chuckle at Max's awkward situation.

"Well-um, yeah. But we just need warmth. It's cold outside at night, Ella!" She giggled uncontrollably.

"Max! How does that not scream 'we're in love'?"

"Um, let's see. How about 'survival comes before dignity'?" I chuckled again. That was why I liked Max as a friend so much.

"Fine. But this conversation isn't over. We have to meet."

"Yeah, we really do. Nice talking to you, Ella. I'll let Fang and Angel talk."

"Sure. Nice talking to you too, Max. I can see why Fang chose you." Max sighed in annoyance. I didn't blame her one bit. Ella was awesome and all, but she didn't know when to just shut up. At least she didn't quite have Nudge's lungs. Regardless, talkativeness still really ran in the family.

Avoiding my eyes, Max handed me the phone.

"Angel?"

"Hold on," Ella said. "ANGEL! Get up here! It's a surprise!" A minute later, I heard Ella hand Angel the phone.

"Hello?" Angel said. My heart instantly warmed at hearing her voice. I didn't realize how much I missed hearing her talk every day.

"Angel! It's Fang."

"FANG! How's it going?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Besides missing you, it's actually been really nice. I've been basically living with Nudge and Ella, and mom and dad haven't even noticed. I wish you were here, though."

"Well, I have a surprise for you. Iggy's taking you guys to see us here in California." Angel gasped.

"Really? When?"

"Tomorrow evening."

"Sweet! I can't wait!" she exclaimed. "Hold on, you said _us._ Are you traveling in a group?"

"Long story short, I'm traveling with a girl named Max. Ella can fill you in."

"Ooh, a girl! What's she like?"

"I'll let you see for yourself tomorrow."

"Fine," she huffed. I laughed, a deep but light-hearted laugh nothing like Angel's.

"Do you mind doing me a favor before you come?"

"Of course! What do you need?"

"Can you bring me two or three spare outfits? I forgot to pack them when I left."

"Sure. Black, I assume?"

"Yeah. By the way, Max wanted to talk to you."

"Okay. One more thing; does she know about your singing talents?"

"Um, nope. See you tomorrow, Angel."

I handed the phone to Max, who had been silently observing us speak.

"Hey, Angel?"

"Max! How's Fang?"

"Except for when he's annoying, he's great." Angel laughed, a soft, high-pitched laugh of an angel, or an Angel.

"He is great. I wish he was still here, though," Angel said wistfully.

_I'm coming back for you, Angel._

"I don't blame you at all, Angel. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"I feel ya. I wish I could talk to you longer, but I gotta go now. Nudge is calling. Don't beat Fang up too badly, okay? I'd hate to have to save him again." Max echoed Angel's laugh with a nearly identical but lower-pitched one.

"See you later, Angel," Max said, hanging up. She turned towards me.

"That was…interesting, to say the least," she said.

"Yeah. Ella's always been on my case about being single, so of course she'll be pumped to hear I've been traveling with a girl. Girls are so weird sometimes." Max punched me in the arm.

"Hey!" she shouted.

I shrugged. "It's true." She looked at me.

"Was Angel telling the truth? Do you really sing?" she asked. I shrugged nonchalantly. She studied my face for several moments before moving on.

"Whatever, Fang. Let's just go to sleep. Don't think I've forgotten, though."

I opened the telephone booth's door for her. Before I could turn around, she punched me in the other arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"I'm fully capable of opening a door, thank you very much," she said, matter-of-fact-ly. She stuck her tongue at me. Sighing, I let Max do the 'honors' of opening the glass door.

"Happy, Max?"

"Yes, Fang. Thanks for not being a sexist pig." Max smiled.

"You're very welcome for not being a gentleman."

"More like an egotistical, overprotective-"

"Max?" I interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." I usually got a kick out of arguing with Max, but I was too tired today. I was just focused on finding a place to stay the night.

About a mile from town, we found an out-of-the-way field. Even though we didn't have much natural protection, it was far enough from Blythe that we didn't have to worry about being found. Besides, we could just say we were camping if we were caught. Hopefully whoever found us doesn't know Max was the girl in the news.

"Good night, Max."

"Good night, Fang," Max said, pulling out her diary. What did she even write in that thing? I have to see it one day.

Well, whatever. Sleep came first.

My last thought before drifting off was:

_We forgot the finger tape._

* * *

**From this point on: There will likely be more hanging out and bonding between Max and Fang, rather than running, running, and more running. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it more. :)**

**Question of the Chapter: Which would you prefer: action scenes or Fax scenes? I'm really leaving it up to you guys here.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Max's POV**

_If we're not just friends, and we're not lovers either, what are we?_

I pondered that question to no end after I carefully wrote it in my diary. Fang and I weren't just friends. That much was obvious. If he was just a friend, we wouldn't be able to practically read each other's minds. Our relationship wasn't even one of best friends. We were….different than that.

Try as I may, I couldn't come up with an answer. I couldn't stand being confused about how I felt. But as long as Fang was with me, not knowing how I felt about him was bearable. If nothing else, I knew Ella was wrong. I was most definitely not in love with Fang.

I really couldn't explain my feelings at this point. I felt strangely drawn towards him, for some reason. Two days ago, I randomly grabbed his hand and buried my face into him. I had no idea why I did it. It just felt subconsciously right. The weirdest part was that Fang didn't push me away. He pulled me closer and gripped my hand harder. What was up with that?

The next morning, I already regretted it. It was embarrassing enough in itself, not counting the fact that I rolled on Fang's hand and re-injured it. Besides, how the heck did I roll on his hand? Was I…on top of him? No, that couldn't have been possible. I guess I just rolled a bit aggressively and landed on his finger.

Eventually, I decided the best course to take was to just forget it ever happened. Hopefully Fang would overlook it, too.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't deny feeling my heart skip a beat whenever Fang smiled. How did he have this kind of power over me?

_If we're not just friends, and we're not lovers either, what are we?_

My question replayed in my mind until I drifted off at last, away from my problems into a world that never was and never will be in which confusion didn't exist.

* * *

When I woke up, my first thought was, _cold_.

Fang fell asleep several feet away from me last night, and I missed his warmth. Yesterday marked the first time in nearly a week I didn't sleep next to Fang. I hoped he wouldn't mind this..

As quietly as I could, I stood up from behind where Fang was standing and slowly inched towards him. Several steps before I reached him, I prepared to jump him. He always had enough body heat to spare.

Just after my feet left the ground, Fang sidestepped me and whipped around. I triumphantly hit my face on the tree Fang was standing next to.

"Ow!" I exclaimed. Fang smirked.

"I cannot be snuck up on. What do you need, anyways?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Give your friend a hug, Fang. She's freezing," I said, rubbing my face. I felt a small groove on my nose with a small flake of tree bark in it. Stupid Fang.

"All right. You could've just asked, you know," he said, opening his arms.

As I stepped into them, I said, "But that's no fun." When he wrapped his arms around me, I immediately felt his warmth spread through my body. I pulled in closer to him to heat up as fast as possible. Even though he hadn't showered for a week, he didn't smell bad at all. He had a nature-like smell that felt so much like _home_.

After a minute of hugging Fang, I reluctantly pulled back. Even though I wasn't cold anymore, I didn't want to let him go. His arms just felt so…revitalizing. My morning drowsiness was replaced with complete awareness within one minute. Something must've been up, since I was usually a zombie until breakfast. There was definitely something special about Fang. Then again, I knew that since day one.

We sat down on a thick log running parallel to the hill and took out our breakfasts. Fang snagged us a pair of forks at the store we robbed, so we didn't have to eat with our hands anymore. I was a bit wary about stealing luxuries like utensils, but Fang told me we needed it so we didn't get sick. I didn't question Fang's morals and just went with it.

Even though I was usually a faster eater than him, Fang scarfed down his breakfast faster than I could take three bites. He had a slightly panicked look in his eyes, like he had somewhere to be. He stuffed the empty can in his backpack.

"Fang? What's the rush? It's not even noon yet," I said. Fang shook his head.

"It's not that. I forgot about getting the finger tape yesterday." I stared at him.

"You're kidding…" I trailed off, knowing he was right. After all the planning we did, how could we just forget? I was no expert in broken bones, but I figured three days was an awfully long time to wait to tape a broken finger.

"Doesn't matter right now. Let's get going, though." I nodded quickly and went back to my food. After finishing, I met Fang at the top of the hill where he was already waiting.

In the town, we decided to head to the same store as yesterday, since it seemed large and likely to have tape. This time, I made sure I got in first so Fang couldn't embarrass me by holding the door. I knew he didn't mean any harm with it, and he was just trying to be nice, but I couldn't stand it. I absolutely hated needing help or feeling inferior to someone else. Like Fang, my fatal flaw was hubris. Fortunately, I learned to somewhat control it at home. I had to swallow my pride on numerous occasions when at the mercy of my parents. Frustration was a small price to pay compared to getting hurt.

As we were browsing through the shelves, I came across a roll of green electrical tape. It looked pretty sturdy, so I decided to show it to Fang.

"Hey, would this work?" I said, holding out the tape. Fang stared at me as if I was crazy. "What?" I questioned defensively. Fang let out a small chuckle.

"Max. You realize that's green?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with green?" He gestured to himself.

"Look at me."

"Um, you're ri-I mean wearing black?" I shut my mouth quickly. As much as I hoped Fang didn't hear my slip-up, I had no doubt he did. Thankfully, I didn't say anything too bad. He knew he was ripped, so it shouldn't have come as any surprise. I was glad I didn't say _cute_, or god forbid, _hot_.

"See?" he said. I shook my head, becoming slightly frustrated with Fang.

"Nope."

"Max, I just don't wear green. It's a simple fact." I stared at him.

"Does it really matter, Fang?"

"Well, yeah, it does. Considering it's electrical tape we're talking about."

"What's wrong with that?"

"It doesn't stick. Unless we want to use up the whole roll within a day, we should probably get some sort of cloth tape."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

"Because that's no fun," Fang said, in a pretty good imitation of my voice. He winked. I felt my annoyance suddenly surge. Without thinking, I slapped him across the face. Unfortunately, I hit him harder than I meant to. Fang stepped backwards, clutching his cheek.

"Fang! I'm sorry, I didn't-" I said, covering my mouth.

Fang cut me off. "It's fine. But we might want to get a pack of ice for that," he said, smiling slightly.

"You're not serious, right?"

"Nope."

"Good." I turned around to look for a better tape for Fang. I sifted through the shelves, looking for a cloth tape. That's what Fang said, right? Or was it a gauze tape? Nah, it couldn't have been. That doesn't exist. Wait, does it? You know what? I'll just let Fang find his own tape.

"Found it?" I said.

"Nope," he muttered, pushing several packages aside. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young employee appear in our aisle and walk towards us. She was hardly in appropriate attire for an employee with her short skirt and ripped tank top. Her name tag read _Lissa_.

"Hey, can I help you with anything?" she said to Fang, flashing him a sweet smile.

"I'm fine," Fang responded.

"There must be_ something _I can help you with," Lissa purred. She inched closer to him, deliberately sticking her chest in his face. That did it. The surge of protectiveness in me became a geyser of bitterness. Before Fang could respond, I stepped in front of her and gave her my best death stare.

"Stay out of our way! Who the hell are you?" I yelled at her. Unfazed, she looked around me and batted her eyelashes at Fang.

"Hey, can you go shop somewhere else? I need to talk with him," she said, motioning to Fang.

"Uh, nope. I don't listen to skanks," I said. She ignored me.

"You _are_ single, right?" Lissa said, smiling at Fang. He cleared his throat.

"I don't have a girlfriend, but I do have standards," he said firmly. Lissa's mouth dropped open. Raising my eyebrows at her, I grabbed Fang's arm and led him away from the girl. She gave me the finger.

"Let's just get back to finding tape," he decided, making his way back over to the shelves of tape. Thankfully, Lissa had left. To seduce other guys, I had no doubt. I followed Fang back to the tape. On the outside, I displayed a mask of impassive calmness, but I was seething with anger on the inside. I mean, who did she think she was?

After a few minutes of searching, Fang finally found a box of brown cloth tape. We paid and left the store. According to a clock, it was 3:19 P.M., giving us nearly three hours to walk one mile to the park.

While we waited for Ella, Angel, and the rest of Fang's friends, Fang wanted to tape his finger at the picnic tables. He seemed to know what he was doing, and he was satisfied with his work within five minutes.

"Where'd you learn how to do that?" Fang smirked.

"Some of us actually pay attention during health class."

"Do you want me to slap you again?"

"Nope."

"Thought so," I said, grinning. He rolled his eyes and took out two apples.

"I'm feeling it today, Max." This time, it was my turn to roll my eyes. I didn't know he was so eager to get his butt kicked. Again.

After he ate his apple, Fang stood up and fired a shot at the trash can. This time, he missed the can completely. The core bounced in front of the trash can. Pathetic. I clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up. Just then, something occurred to me.

"Maybe I should change, Fang. We still have two hours until Ella's coming," I said, standing up. Shrugging, Fang followed me out of the park and back to town. I quickly changed into a blue t-shirt and jeans in a bathroom.

"You look great," Fang remarked, as I stepped out.

My cheeks reddened. "Thanks," I said, forcing a smile.

"I'm not kidding, Max." Way to make things complicated, Fang. Wonderful job.

"Yeah, okay. Let's just go," I said quickly, not meeting his eyes. We made it back to the park well before six, giving us time to relax for a few minutes before Ella came. I was really curious to know what they looked like. Fang gave me a description of each of them, but there were millions of people who fit each description. I needed faces.

After several minutes of anxious waiting, Fang suddenly stood up.

"FANG!" several voices chorused from behind me. I whipped around to see five kids running towards us. Fang was grinning. As the approached, Angel jumped up and tackled Fang in a hug. She really was adorable. The reunited siblings hugged each other for nearly a minute, and broke apart. When Angel let go, she skipped towards me. She looked me up and down with her big, blue eyes that could melt even Vladimir Putin's heart.

"Max?" I smiled and nodded. She hesitantly stepped forwards as well. I picked her up and wrapped her in a tight embrace. She looked nothing like Fang, but their hugs both comforted me all the same. Meanwhile, Fang and the blonde boy were doing the half-hug bro handshake that guys do. Fang gave the pretty brown-haired girl, which I assumed was Ella, a small hug and ruffled Gazzy and Nudge's hair. Everyone looked happy to see him.

Ella looked at me, and then back at Fang. "She's gorgeous! And you know it!" she said playfully, getting in Fang's face. My cheeks reddened, and Ella knew it. Her eyes flitted between Fang and I as her smile grew.

"Oh, drop it, Ella. Will you?" Fang said, uncomfortably fiddling with his jacket.

"Fine. But you lied to me, Fang. She's beautiful, not maybe a little cute." Fang suddenly took interest in his black sneakers.

"Here, Fang. Everything's in here. I also brought your watch, in case you needed it," Angel said, handing Fang a big bag.

"Thanks, Angel. Wanna sit down, guys?" Fang said, leading us to the picnic table. Everyone followed him and sat down. Ella and Iggy were holding hands. Gazzy and Nudge were in that awkward pre-dating stage that all thirteen-year-old couples go through. They looked cute together, though.

When we sat down, Nudge didn't hesitate to speak. "So, Max! Ella told me about you yesterday. Um, she didn't tell me what your personality was though. All she said was that Fang thought you were hot. You are! You guys should, like, _totally _get together. Fang always needed a good girlfriend. He used to date weird girls. But he was way too good for them! He needs someone wh-" Gazzy clamped his hand over Nudge's mouth, sighing. Nobody acted like Nudge's speech was out of place, though. I guess I had quite a bit of learning to do when it came to the ways of Fang's friends. My ears were ready to fall off.

Iggy cleared his throat. "Anyways, how's it going, Fang? Ella told me a little but I need to hear it from the man himself."

"Besides missing you guys, it's actually been great. I've learned a lot, had some fun, and made a new _friend_." He emphasized the word _friend_ for Ella's sake, I presumed. "I can come back someday, perhaps."

"Whatever makes you happy, man. You better invite me to your wedding, though," Iggy said, looking at me. Fang took a deep, deliberate, and careful breath, causing Ella to giggle. "Hey, don't blame me! Wedding food is good!" Iggy said. This time, everyone laughed. Even Fang chuckled.

Fang turned to Angel. "Found any boys you like yet?" Angel cringed.

"Eeew, no way!" Everyone laughed again.

"Ella and I are definitely going to set her up, though! I mean, Angel's gorgeous! How can Angel the angel not have a boyfriend? It's simple logic. Angel should definitely get together with someone. How about Shaw Akers? The blonde guy in your class?" Nudge said. I breathed a sigh of relief when she finished her speech.

Angel's rosy cheeks reddened. "Um…." she said quietly. She was so cute, it melted my heart. Nudge and Ella exchanged a glance and broke into grins.

Gazzy spoke up. "Max, Fang, how did you guys meet?"

"Well, I needed a place to sleep on my first night away, so I went into a sewer. I was going to go to sleep, but Fang appeared out of nowhere and interrupted me," I said.

"Actually," Fang interjected, "if I remember correctly, I was there first. Max was the one who came down and crashed my party."

"Anyways, that was ten days ago. We were fifty miles from Tucson then, and we ran here."

Iggy whistled. "You guys _ran_ all the way here?" I nodded. Suddenly, Nudge gasped. We all looked at her.

"ZOMG! Taylor Swift is dating again!" she squealed, looking up from her phone.

"Who was it this time?" Ella said, bored. Nudge looked back at her phone, tapped a few buttons, and even shook her phone. What was that supposed to do? Break it? I'd never had a cell phone before, so I wasn't one to talk. But I was pretty sure shaking a phone didn't do anything.

"Umm…um…" Nudge looked up with wide eyes. "It's Harry again! If last time was trouble, this is double trouble." I stared at her. Harry? Who was that? I decided I didn't want to know.

Iggy stood up. "Who's up for some ice cream?" he said, deliberately changing the subject.

"ME!" Angel, Nudge, and Gazzy screamed. Fang, Ella, and I looked at each other.

"Why the hell not," Ella said, shrugging.

* * *

Half an hour later, we were all sitting back at the picnic table with an ice cream cone each courtesy of Iggy. As we talked, I began to like Fang's friends more and more. According to Iggy, they called themselves a Flock because Angel had a dream about them having wings. Even though I just met them, I felt like I belonged with the Flock. I was so thankful they offered to visit us here.

The part I liked best about them was their chemistry. Despite their age differences, they had enough in common that they could hang out as one group. I always yearned for a family like this one.

While Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel watched videos on Nudge's iPhone, Ella, Iggy, Fang, and I talked.

"So, why'd you leave, Max?" I tensed. I wanted to tell them badly, but I just couldn't bring myself to. It was painful enough telling Fang. Even then, I barely managed to choke out my life story before collapsing into Fang's arms.

"Family problems," I told him. It wasn't a lie, just not the whole truth. Thankfully, Iggy could tell that I wasn't ready to share my past.

"That sucks. Well, so much for opposites attracting. Fang and you are practically identical."

"That's not true. Fang is really annoying, and he has dark hair."

"Besides that. Well, I guess opposites do attract in that regard," Iggy commented thoughtfully.

"Attract? You don't mean…" Fang said. Iggy laughed.

"Yep. I do." I groaned.

"Both of you? Really? Do we look like a couple to you?" I asked. Everyone except Gazzy assumed we were together, and he probably thought that to himself as well. Why did they think that? Iggy held out his arms and made a rectangle with his fingers, as if taking a picture of us. I scowled.

"Yep, looks like a couple to me." I turned to Ella and raised my eyebrows.

"Yep. I'm with the Igster on this one."

"Speaking of being with Iggy, how's the engaged life?" Fang asked, changing the subject.

Ella beamed. "It's wonderful," she said, squeezing Iggy's hand.

"It's great, but I did have to find a new detonator for the stink bomb Gazzy was making since I gave Ella the ring." Ella giggled and quickly kissed his cheek.

"By the way, guys, can I talk to Fang alone for a minute?" Ella asked. Nobody objected as she and Fang stood up and went to a different table. That left Iggy and I.

After making sure nobody was listening, Iggy leaned across the table and asked me, "Max, you don't have to lie to me. I won't tell a soul. Do you like Fang as more than a friend?"

I didn't hesitate before replying. "Nope," I said.

"You're lying."

"I'm not! I swear I don't love Fang. Not in that way, at least." Iggy grinned.

Iggy whispered, "Max, you are in love with Fang. Whether you realize it or not. I can read people like open books, and it's obvious to me that you and Fang are in love with each other."

"No! I'm not in love with him! We're just friends, Iggy. Besides, how would I be in love with him without realizing it?" Iggy just chuckled.

"Wait and see, Max. Wait and see."

"Well, I hope you don't put any money on it. Or else you won't be able to buy us ice cream next time." Iggy laughed lightheartedly.

"I'm not a serious person, but in all seriousness, you and Fang _will_ get together. Just trust me on this. Ask Angel. She can practically read minds and tell the future."

"Angel!" I yelled. Her head whipped up from Nudge's phone, sending her long, blonde, curly hair through the air.

"What do you think is happening between Fang and I?"

"A romance. What else?" she said innocently, as if it was obvious.

"No, seriously."

"I was serious. You guys love each other, even if you're too stubborn to admit or realize it."

"Angel, dear, don't listen to everything Iggy tells you." She shook her head.

"Isn't it obvious?" she said. I was dumfounded. How was it _obvious_ that Fang and I, who weren't in love, loved each other?

"Told ya!" Iggy whooped, his inner ten-year-old making an appearance.

"You guys are so weird.."

"We are, but we're right about this. And for the record, I definitely would bet on it," Angel said.

"Whatever, guys." Angel and Iggy exchanged a glance, and burst out laughing simultaneously. Despite driving me nuts, it gave me an insight to just how close the Flock's members were with each other. Iggy and Angel were on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of age and gender, and it was obvious they knew each other like the back of their hands. It wouldn't have surprised me if Fang and Iggy could read each other's minds.

As if reading my mind, Angel said, "Don't be surprised. We've known each other for our whole lives. We can all basically read each other's minds." I stared at her.

"I guess you can read my mind also," I said. She shrugged.

"I've always been the perceptive one of the group. Gazzy used to call me a telepath." That reminded me. I wanted to talk to all of Fang's friends, even Gazzy and Nudge.

"Yo, Gazzy? How's your latest bomb project going?" I asked. He grinned evilly.

"Glad you asked. Iggy and I were planning to set off a massive series of smoke bombs around Fang's house, so nobody can tell where the door was. We still have to get more sulfur, though. If Iggy didn't buy that ring for Ella, we'd have enough."

"Hey, we just gotta take it slow. We can still pull this off. Just gotta pick up a few bucks at the coffee shop. We still need that transmitter, though. I don't have time to make one this week," Iggy said.

"It's fine, I can do that part. Do you have that spare motherboard from your science fair project?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? If we wire it to enough targets, it could blow up the city. Do you really think I'd lose that?" I stared at him in shock.

"_Blow up the city?_" I asked. What were they, ingenious pyromaniacs? Probably. Gazzy looked at me.

"Oh, we'd never do that. But we could, if we ever need to. We've never destroyed anything by accident."

"What about the rosebush in front of Fang's house?" Iggy said, raising his eyebrows.

"Ok, fine. I dropped a micro-transmitter there. But it's never happened besides that. And that was a small mistake," Gazzy said.

"Where do you guys get all this stuff?" I asked.

"We usually make it from scratch. But sometimes we get our complicated circuitry online," Iggy answered.

"Or you guys steal it from my parents. Not that I'm complaining, of course," Fang answered. We all turned towards him. He and Ella were back from their little chat.

"Dude, did you tell Max about the eternal geyser?" Iggy said to Fang.

"Nope." Iggy's eyes lit up.

"Well, we needed to get Anne back for whacking Fang, so we played around with her pipe system a little. We repositioned a few tubes here and there, and put explosives in other places. We timed them to go off in order, so Anne would get sprayed by water wherever she went. It was priceless," Iggy said. I shook my head.

"You guys are crazy. Glad I'm not on your bad side," I said.

"Yeah, I'm glad, too," Ella said. "Fang told me that you could beat him up any day."

"He's right. I can beat him up," I said, looking at Fang. He just shrugged.

"I'm getting tired, guys. Wanna stay the night with us in our oh-so-comfortable forest nearby?" Fang asked.

"Sure," Ella said, shrugging. Everyone else seemed okay with it as well.

"One sec, guys. What happened to your hand, Fang?" Iggy asked. Fang looked embarrassed, but he told Iggy what happened.

"A manhole cover, man? Really?" Iggy asked. Fang looked down and refused to comment.

"Let's get going. It's about two miles from here," Fang decided. As we walked, Ella and Iggy talked quietly with each other, Gazzy and Nudge were taking pictures of themselves, and Fang offered to give Angel a piggyback ride. I was touched by the affection he showed towards Angel. It didn't really fit in with his 'tough guy' image, but I liked that part of him nonetheless. When we arrived at our clearing, we all lay down to sleep. Gazzy and Nudge slept about a foot apart, thankfully, Ella and Iggy slept next to each other, and Angel lay between Fang and I. After we said our 'good night's, I took out my diary to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_I wish this day would never end. Fang told me his friends were great, but I didn't think I'd feel like I belonged with them as much as I do. Talking with them feels so natural and normal. Besides the constant pestering about Fang and I being together, I feel perfectly in place with them. I can act naturally, and they accept me for who I am. I don't want them to leave tomorrow. _

_One thing still bothers me, though. Something Iggy and Angel said earlier._

_"Max, you are in love with Fang. Whether you realize it or not."_

_"You guys love each other, even if you're too stubborn to admit or realize it."_

_What was that supposed to mean? I think I'd know if I was in love with somebody. And I'm pretty sure I'm not in love with Fang. Nah, I'm very sure. Even though I'm a stubborn person, I'm not denying anything when I say we're just friends. Still, Iggy's words bothered me. He looked like was telling the truth, despite how absurd it was. Could I be in love with Fang without realizing it? For that matter, could Fang be in love with me without realizing it?_

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

**By the way: If anyone couldn't tell, Iggy is NOT blind. I accidentally said he was earlier, but it's corrected now. My apologies.**

**If anyone finds errors in the story, please tell me! I want to make the story as clean as possible.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Happy late Independence Day to all Americans! Sorry for the late update.**

**Two people wanted short chapters, two wanted long, and two didn't care. I guess I'll let whatever happens happen. Thanks for the feedback!**

* * *

**Fang's POV**

I woke up to the sound of my friends' laughter, and unfortunately I could see why they were laughing. Max and I were lying in each other's arms, and even though I wasn't thinking clearly, I knew that it was their doing. Angel had been lying between us last night, and people couldn't randomly disappear in their sleep. Besides, Angel was laughing along with everyone else. I quickly let go of Max and sat up.

"Really, guys?"

"What?" Iggy asked, feigning innocence. I shook my head, unamused.

"Low blow, guys, low blow. Who did this?" I watched as everyone's fingers flew in a frenzy, directed at anyone but themselves.

Finally, amidst her laughter, Ella spoke up. "It was all of us. We needed you guys to realize your true love for each other before we left."

"_True love?_" I demanded. I instantly regretted it. Ella, Nudge, and Angel all bobbed their heads in unison as if they'd been practicing it. Iggy and Gazzy chuckled at the girls' antics.

"Say what you want now, but call me back in a month and tell me how it's going," Ella said. I rolled my eyes, not buying anything she said.

Next to me, Max groaned and slowly sat up. Her hair was a mess, possibly because my hands had been in it all night_._ Thanks a lot, 'friends'. At least Max didn't give a damn about her hair.

"Why is everyone laughing?" Max asked us, "and why is my hair messed up?" Everyone burst out laughing, sans Max and I. Max stared at us obliviously. "Someone better start talking!" she demanded. Unfortunately, no one was in a position to talk. The girls were laughing so hard that they were practically choking, Iggy and Gazzy would never ruin any kind of prank, and there was no way in hell that I would be the one to spill.

After she had calmed down enough to speak in full sentences, Angel finally told Max what had happened. She stared at all of my friends in turn, then at me,

"I didn't want to do that again!" she cried. Realizing her mistake, her hands flew to her mouth. _Dammit, Max. _What was up with her and all the slip-ups recently? She went from saying I was ripped to telling my friends this wasn't our first time sleeping in each other's arms?

"You two are so cute!" Nudge squealed. Giggling, the three girls eagerly whispered amongst themselves. They talked too quickly and quietly for me to understand, but I did catch _wedding plans_.

"All right," Angel began, "we've deemed you two the cutest couple in the world, even better than Ella and Iggy." Ella blushed but didn't say anything for once.

"And _I've_ deemed that you guys should shut up now," Max said, not amused in the least. "By the way, _for the last time, _why is my hair messed up?"

"Yeah, Fang, why is her hair messed up?" Ella asked me. Realizing what Ella meant, Max turned to face me.

"Fang!?" she gasped.

"It was them!" I said. Thankfully, Max seemed to believe me. If she didn't believe me…let me just say it wouldn't be pretty for anyone involved.

Making a heart shape with her hands, Ella said, "You guys are so cute! You act just like a married couple!"

"Well, I don't see you and Iggy doing this crap," Max mumbled.

"That's true," Ella admitted, "we just don't show as much PDA as you and Fang do." My jaw dropped open, and so did Max's. We stared in shock as the girls burst into a new round of giggles.

"Let's just get breakfast," Iggy decided, saving us from further embarrassment. I mouthed him a silent _thank you_ as I stood up. He mouthed back, _Don't mention _it. Thankfully, our bro code trumped his desire to annoy Max and me further.

As we walked back to the city, Max interrogated Nudge and Gazzy for details on their relationship, in hopes of humiliating them in return. And as much as I would have liked to see it work, it just wasn't the same. She didn't have the kind of practice Ella and Nudge did at this kind of thing. Needless to say, Max didn't learn anything from Gazzy and Nudge during her interrogation. Since Nudge did 90% of the talking, it came as no surprise to me. She'd make a great lawyer. The prosecutors wouldn't be able to get a word in.

"So, what do you guys feel like eating?" Iggy asked us.

"Ooh! Is there a Dunkin Donuts anywhere?" Nudge suggested enthusiastically.

"Yeah. Left turn in a half mile or so, then it'll be on our right," Max said. She apparently was paying attention when we walked around the city yesterday. I hadn't. I'd be hard-pressed to rack my mind for the location of the department store, much less some Dunkin Donuts we'd never been to.

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice how happy Iggy and Ella were. Iggy seemed a lot more laid-back, and Ella's eyes were full of happiness. As annoying as they had been, I felt really happy for them. Their relationship was a steady one without much chaos. Even before they got engaged, I figured marriage was bound to happen.

Nudge and Gazzy were tentatively holding hands and talking. For once, Nudge showed signs of being tongue-tied. I had to learn his secret for silencing her. Unfortunately, it probably involved getting Nudge to like him, and there was no way I was going to do that.

As they were walking, Nudge suddenly broke away from Gazzy's grip and walked to me. "Fang! After we get food, my mom wanted to video chat you. You guys were, like, BFF's! You have to-"

"Yeah, I got it. Will do," I said, cutting Nudge off before she could get on a roll. I did want to talk to Dr. Martinez, though. She was basically a mother to me. I came to her if I ever needed help with anything, and she often checked in with me to make sure her daughters weren't taking things too quickly with their boyfriends. Besides helping each other, we were like friends, in a way. We talked all the time, about anything ranging from Iggy's latest destructive prank to Dr. Martinez's uncooperative patients. She was the one person with whom I could be honest with and pretend around. Even though we were both usually busy, we always made time for each other.

"Yo, Fang," Iggy said, approaching me. "Can I give you my number? If the girls are busy PMS-ing and I need a bro to talk to, you're the man."

"That'd be nice. I don't have a phone, though. I just use payphones."

"Yeah, I figured. But for what it's worth, here it is," he said, handing me a piece of paper. I looked over it, expecting to see Iggy's phone number. Instead, I saw a column of maybe five different unlabeled phone numbers.

"It's the top one. The other ones are Nudge, my mom, Ella's mom, and Gazzy," Iggy explained. That made sense. I was thankful I had the others' numbers too, in case I needed them. I just hoped I could remember which one was which.

"Oh, all right. Thanks, Ig."

"No prob, bro," he said, wiping his sunglasses on his shirt. "By the way, how do you afford to eat?"

"You've forgotten so soon? I used to work at the coffee shop with you. I picked up a few bucks there."

"It's lasted this long?"

"Nah, Max and I lifted a few bucks from a cashier a while back."

Iggy grinned and slapped me on the back as he put his sunglasses back on. "That's my man!"

"Ella won't like to hear that."

Iggy chuckled. "Dude, that's my move. But they say imitation is the best form of flattery."

"I'm pretty sure becoming a crazy pyromaniac isn't one of my life dreams."

"I don't know, Fang, but you seemed like you were enjoying it when you helped us with the eternal geyser."

"That was because it was revenge on Anne, not because I'm a pyromaniac."

"Whatever you say," Iggy said coolly, shrugging. "So are we eating or what?" Everyone was already at the entrance, impatiently waving at Iggy and me to join them.

"Sorry, guys," Iggy said.

"Don't mention it. Besides, none of us brought any money," Max said.

Iggy shrugged. "What are we waiting for? Let's get ordering!" We all ordered our breakfasts; Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel got two donuts apiece, Ella and Max got bagels, and Iggy and I got grilled cheese sandwiches.

"Mmm…this is so good," Nudge said, chewing a bite of her donut. Second to Gazzy, food was the best way to silence Nudge.

As we ate, Iggy asked me quietly, "So, how'd you guys lift the cash?"

"Tricked the cashier to go to the backroom. Max ran behind the counter and swiped a few bucks." Iggy whistled.

"Damn. I wish I'd been there for that."

"I wish I hadn't been there for it."

"Why not? It sounds fun. At least more fun than running fifty miles a day," Iggy said.

"You have a point, my friend."

"As always. So, wanna talk to Dr. Martinez now?"

"Yeah, sure," I said. "Nudge?" She looked up eagerly. Her mouth was ringed in pink strawberry frosting. "Can you call your mom now?" I asked.

"Yeah! Just a minute," she said, taking out her purple-cased iPhone. She tapped the screen several times and handed the phone to me. On the screen, Dr. Martinez's face was looking right at me. When she saw me through the camera, she gasped excitedly.

"Fang?"

"Yep. How's life back home?"

"It's great, but that's not important! Are you all right? Do you have enough to eat?"

"Dr. M! I'm fine, really. I met somebody a week ago and I'm traveling with her. I'm sure Ella and Nudge will fill your ears talking about her."

"Oh, really? Is she your girlfriend?" I let out an exasperated sigh. She provided Ella and Nudge with genes, after all.

"Nope. We're just close friends, even if your daughters don't agree."

"I see," she said, sounding disappointed. As irritating as I found it, I wasn't surprised in the least. The three Martinezes were the ones to whom I went for advice when it came to girls. Dr. Martinez always thought that me having a girlfriend would be a 'healthy' and 'positive' experience. She was like a mother to me, which had its positives and negatives. The positives included her caring about me, sometimes letting me grab a bite with her family, and offering emotional support whenever I needed it. The negatives included being pushy about my relationship status, and….that was pretty much it. It was safe to say the positives greatly outweighed the negatives.

"Well, Ella and Nudge are always known to be right about these things," she said.

"There's a first time for everything."

She sighed. "That's true. I'm glad I was able to teach you something! Anyways, I have to visit you and your girlf-I mean your friend soon. What's her name?" Something told me she didn't almost say 'girlfriend' by accident.

"Max."

"I thought you said it was a girl," she said, a hint of horrified panic in her voice.

"She is a girl. Max is short for Maxine."

"Thank goodness!"

"Why? Do you have a problem with me hanging out with another guy?"

"No, I don't. It's just…never mind. I should get going now, Fang. I miss you tremendously, and I wish to see you sometime."

"Later," I said.

"Good luck and good fortune," she said, ending the call. I handed the phone back to Nudge.

"My name is not short for Maxine, I'll have you know," Max said.

"Really? Then what is it?" I said.

"Maximum."

"Oh, that's right. You told me a while back."

"You didn't even bother to remember my name? What kind of friend are you?" I shrugged. Since she always called herself 'Max', remembering 'Maximum' seemed like an unimportant detail. Then again, girls expected guys to remember every single detail about them.

After Angel finished the last of her chocolate donut, Ella announced that they had to leave. Gazzy and Nudge had soccer games and Ella and Iggy had a date. Oops, I mean a 'fun event'.

"See ya later, man," Iggy said, giving me a bro hug.

"Thanks for visiting, guys," I said, "and thanks for the food, Ig."

"No problem."

"Nice seeing you again, Fang," Ella said, giving me a hug. Admittedly, I stood rather stiffly while she awkwardly hugged me. Hugging people just didn't come naturally to me, except when it was with Max or Angel. Unless you counted bro hugs with Iggy.

After Ella let go of me, Angel threw her arms around me and whispered, "Call me sometime. When you're alone." I nodded and hugged her back. I was willing to wager she wanted to talk about Max. Unlike Nudge and Ella, who just wanted to see me get a girlfriend, Angel did usually have good advice for me.

I gave Nudge and Gazzy fist bumps as Ella exchanged a long hug with Max. As different as they were, they acted like sisters. I'd never noticed it before, but they even looked really similar; they both had light brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Looking at them next to each other, I wasn't sure why I hadn't noticed their similarities earlier. The only explanation I could think of was their drastic difference in personality. Ella was always sweet and was generally a passive person. Max was definitely nice, but she was more aggressive and pugnacious than Ella. I got along with Ella just fine, but Max and I were more compatible as a duo. If I got into a fight or argument, Max was the one I wanted by my side.

After Max and Angel said their goodbyes, Iggy whistled and shook his keys to get everyone's attention. "See you guys later!" he called, walking towards his car. Max and I waved goodbye to him as his car faded from our view.

"So…" Max began awkwardly, "guess it's just us again."

"Yeah." Honestly, I missed being alone with Max. I wanted to see my friends a lot, but I never realized how much Max's company meant to me until I went a day exchanging few words with Max. I missed her sarcastic attitude and trademark glare. Oddly, I felt as though I had known Max longer than the Flock.

"What's in the backpack Angel gave you?" I shrugged, slipping it off my shoulder. Angel told me it was just clothes and a watch, but the bag was far too big and heavy for just that. I unzipped it and undid the flap. As I shoveled the clothes to the side of the bag, I realized what was in the middle: my black Alienware laptop. I grinned, pulling it out.

When Max saw it, she gasped. "Is that….a laptop?" she said in awe. I nodded and handed it to her. She slowly opened it, being careful to not drop it. After checking it out for a minute, she closed it and handed it back to me. I set it on the ground and looked through the rest of my backpack. Several pairs of clothes, my watch, some money, the laptop's power cord, and a small cardboard box were inside. I took out the box and stuffed my laptop back inside. When I saw what was in the box, I let out a small laugh. It should've come as no surprise. I shook my head and showed it to Max, who took it from my hands and peered inside.

"Angel! You-you-" Max stuttered, dropping the box. A fake plastic wedding ring fell out. Well played, Angel.

"Max," I said, deliberately changing the subject. "Maybe we should check on your criminal status now. We just need a place with Wi-Fi since I have my laptop now."

"My criminal status?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah. We should probably continue north before the police figure out where you are. They probably don't expect you to be this far away from Tucson already."

She sighed. "You're right. We should leave this afternoon. But I'll miss this city."

"I will, too," I said, and I meant it. We'd stayed here longer than anywhere else, and I loved the city. I especially liked the spaciousness of it. The city was full of stores, but they weren't jam-packed together and the streets weren't too loud.

"Let's go now," Max said. "I'd like to walk around the city one more time before we leave."

* * *

We walked around the city for an hour before Max spotted a 'free Wi-Fi' sign on the window of a Starbucks. We went into the store and sat down. I took out my laptop and turned it on. As I waited for it to load, I dug through my backpack to find my watch.

After I put my watch on, the login screen showed up. I entered my password and waited for my account to load. After I typed it in, Max looked over my shoulder.

"I've always wanted to use one of those," she said wistfully. I turned it around and pushed it towards her.

"Here you go. Try not to break it." She stuck her tongue out at me and set her hands on the keyboard. After a minute of staring at the keyboard, she frowned.

"How do you use this?" she asked. It hit me that she had never used a laptop before.

"What do you want to do with it?"

"I don't know, check the news?" she said, shrugging. I pulled my chair up next to hers and set my right hand on hers, which was already on the scroll pad. When my hand made contact with hers, I felt a shock go up my hand, and my whole arm began to tingle. But as weird as it was, I didn't want it to stop.

"This button," I said, pressing her finger to the left mouse button, "is used to select something."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"If there's something you want to click, then move your finger on the pad to wherever the object is on screen. Then, you press the left mouse button to select it."

"Oh, ok. That makes sense."

"So the first thing we need to do is connect to the internet. Starbucks has free wireless internet, so we'll just use that." Max nodded slowly, trying to process what I said.

"Once we connect, the computer will have access to all information online. Including CNN, NBC, and every other popular news site. I'm sure those sites will have some news about your escape," I said. I told her the last part in a low voice so nobody else in the crowded shop would overhear.

"I just processed about ten percent of what you just said. Could you just show me?" she said. Max surrendering to an inanimate object? That was a first. And probably a last as well.

She wiggled her hand out of my grip. While I was lecturing Max, I completely forgot that my hand was wrapped around hers. As soon as she let go, though, my minor adrenaline rush faded. Wait, why did I get a random adrenaline rush? Could Max really influence me like that with one hand?

Damn, it sounded really pathetic when I put it that way.

Anyways, with a few efficient strokes and clicks, I was at the front page of CNN. Fortunately, nothing Max-related was in the main article. Unfortunately, there were seven articles dedicated to Max within the past week and a half. Did her parents want Max back _that_ much? People confuse me sometimes.

"Here we go," I told Max, clicking the link to the most recent article on Max. We both read through the ridiculously long article about Max's parents' 'emotional distress' and 'sleepless nights'. Yeah, right. They'd make good comedians if they kept spouting that crap to the media. She should totally turn the tables on her parents and sue _them_.

"Wow," Max said, shaking her head. "I didn't know they'd stoop this low." Despite trying to sound casual, I could sense the hurt in Max's voice. She naturally wanted to be loved, and her parents didn't give her that. She didn't even have friends, mentors, or anyone else to help her. The fact that she was still sane and stronger than ever was a true statement about her toughness. She usually tried to keep her spirits high, but she looked slightly tired and depressed right now, and I didn't blame her one bit.

"Let's just go," I suggested, hoping to get her mind off of her parents.

"Sure." By now, it was already four in the afternoon. We wouldn't have much time to run today, so I figured it might not be worth it to start. We could take off tomorrow morning.

* * *

After we walked around the city a few more times, Max was ready to crash. We walked back to our sleeping spot a mile out of town.

As we settled down to sleep, Max told me, "Your friends are awesome."

"They really are," I agreed. "I'm glad you met them."

"Me, too," she said, yawning. She took out her diary and lay down next to me. Before I could remember to ask her what she wrote about, I drifted off.

* * *

**Big thank you to my new beta, Xx-Twitch-xX for editing!**

**To keep everyone sane, I've cut down Nudge's speeches to a more reasonable length. In reality, they're two to three times longer than what I have here.**

**Question of the Chapter: Do you guys want more visits from Fang's friends, or do you want it to be just Max and Fang?**


	13. Chapter 13

Random Quote of the Week: _"In my field of paper flowers, with candy clouds of lullaby, I lie inside myself for hours, and watch my purple skies fly over me." -Evanescence, in "Imaginary"_

* * *

**Max's POV**

In all honesty, I kind of resented Fang's friends a little. They were awesome people and amazing friends, but I craved Fang's undivided attention more than I'd like to admit. When he was with his friends, he tended to pay more attention to them than me. I had no right to complain, though. He'd known his friends for years, while he'd known me for less than two weeks. I felt really guilty about how selfish I was being. Even though we were best friends, I was not about to become a clingy, overprotective best friend. I usually acted however I wanted, but I had second thoughts about being that way around Fang. I honestly didn't know how to act around him.

"Max? You awake?" Fang called from behind me. I rolled over to look at him. He was wearing a brand new all-black outfit, courtesy of Angel. If his old jeans didn't have dirt on them, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. As far as I knew, Fang wore nothing but black t-shirts, a black jacket, and black jeans. On most people, the outfit would've looked creepy, but it really worked with Fang. I had a hard time picturing Fang wearing anything other than black.

"Yeah."

"Good, because we should get going soon. We're well-rested, so we can cover ground."

I slowly sat up and reached for my backpack. After eating and stretching, we were on our way.

Four hours and thirty miles later, we arrived at another town. Well, it wasn't officially a town, but it qualified as civilization. The small region was called Desert Center. Whatever it qualified as, it had several grocery stores and cafes. We didn't need the grocery stores quite yet, though, since we'd gotten food last week. Iggy had also generously provided us with some food, so we could last a few more days without restocking, and we still had at least two hundred fifty bucks in cash. It was a bit of a long shot, but could it last us a few months? I would have felt much better if I knew I would never have to steal again.

Fang and I walked around the city, seeing if it was worth staying in. By 'staying in', we meant sleeping in a nearby forest and heading to the city at sunrise. What else would we do, stay at a motel? We weren't freaking millionaires.

After about an hour, I decided that the city was not worth staying in. It was nicer than Blythe, but it felt an awful lot like a laboratory complex. Just the thought of staying here made me cringe. However, our dislike for the city didn't stop us from taking advantage of the air conditioning in the grocery stores. Four hours of running with the hot sun shining down on us was extremely hard work. All of the customers and employees were left to wonder why two scraggly teenagers were camped in the frozen produce section for an hour. For some reason, I doubted they believed us when we told them we were interested in buying ice cream. Thankfully, they couldn't think of a good enough reason to kick us out.

According to Fang, it was around 3:30 in the afternoon. We probably wouldn't be running much more today, unless there was a town within thirty or so miles of here.

"Hey, Fang?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can I see your map?" He nodded and took it out. As I unfolded it, the first thing that I noticed was how small the words and lines were. I tried my best to ignore highways and roads, but it was incredibly difficult to read the city names. After a few minutes, I gave up and decided to ask Fang.

"Oh, Desert Center? It's right here," he said, pointing to a spot. I couldn't read it, but I guessed it could've resembled 'desert center'. "Cathedral City is the nearest city, but it's sixty miles away. Not gonna make it today."

"How did you just read that?"

"What do you mean? The city names are right here," he said.

"The writing is so small! How can you read it?" Fang shrugged nonchalantly. One more thing he was better at than me: reading. Great.

"Anyways, wanna check out the rest of the city and scout out the forests?" Fang asked.

"Why not," I said, hesitantly. Standing next to a freezer was getting boring, anyway. This city gave me the creeps, but Fang didn't seem to mind it as much. Fortunately, he was on board with leaving at daybreak tomorrow. I wouldn't be able to stand this place much longer.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city. At every white building we passed, all my instincts told me to get as far from the city as possible. Despite their unnerving aura, I had to admire their construction. They looked exactly how I pictured buildings thirty years in the future. Most of the office buildings were completely white on the outside, but they didn't look juvenile or slapped-together. In fact, they looked really professional. _Too_ professional.

When I saw a row of white hospital beds through the floor-to-ceiling windows, a horrifying image of Fang and I being dissected came to mind. In my image, a team of scientists in lab coats were rushing about, sticking needles in us and performing excruciating tests. It was almost as they viewed us as experiments rather than human beings. That was my worst nightmare.

The only thing keeping me from breaking loose and zipping out of there was Fang. As usual, he was calm and composed. He probably didn't have the same trypanophobia I did, but I didn't see how he wasn't bothered by the odd perfection of this city. However, I didn't want to look like a paranoid freak to him (which I probably was), so I decided to suck it up until it was over.

Finally,_ finally_, Fang suggested scouting out the forests. He said it was around 7:00, so we had a few hours left of daylight to find a place to sleep.

"I take it you don't like this city and want to leave as soon as possible?" Fang said as we neared the city limits.

"Not really. Why would you think that?" I lied. How could he know?

"You don't have to lie to me, Max. Your hands are shaking, your steps are choppy, and your breathing rate is abnormally fast." I stopped, checking if he was bluffing. Sure enough, he was spot-on. Wow. Way to go, Max.

"...we're leaving tomorrow, right?" I suggested weakly. Fang laughed softly.

"Of course. You should've told me sooner; we could've been out of here hours ago," he said. I suddenly felt bad about trying to act strong and hide my emotions in front of Fang. He was looking out for my best interests, and I was trying to act perfect. Since Fang could easily tell when I was pretending, all it did was make me feel dumb.

We walked in silence as we passed the city limits. Even outside of the city, there were houses and neighborhoods we couldn't sleep in. Sewers were always an option, but forests or clearings were ideal. They didn't smell bad, were less risky, and were not enclosed. In addition to being trypanophobic, I was claustrophobic. Based on how eager Fang was to leave the sewers whenever we slept in them, I figured he was, too.

Just then, I realized how imperfect Fang was. I'd always admired him and viewed him as an invincible hero, but he was just as human as I was, despite his mental and physical strength. Still, Fang was my best (and only) friend and my hero, in a way. I didn't want to think about where I'd be without him.

Like me, Fang resembled a time bomb. He would hide his irritation as he grew more and more annoyed, but the last straw would provoke an explosion from him. He didn't have anger issues; he was just an imperfect person like everyone else. Even if he lashed out at me, Fang would never have the heartlessness to hit me and fill my ears with condescending blabber of how useless I was, like my parents did.

_My parents._

Apparently, my biological mom was a teenage crack addict and my dad was a delinquent college student. But Valencia was the one who told me that. Was she really telling the truth? Or did she not know? I wouldn't have put it past her to feed me lies about my birth parents. Regardless, there was nothing I could've done about it. I was already born, and there was no going back. I had accepted the reality that I would not have a parental figure in my life. There was no point in causing self-inflicted pain by making wishes that wouldn't come true or reliving painful memories of the past.

"Max? Where are you going?" I turned around to see Fang standing behind me. I had been so busy thinking that I forgot to look out for a place to sleep. Fortunately, Fang managed to find one without me. We were standing in a good-sized forest in someone's backyard. It was risky, but our only other viable option was the sewer. This forest had plenty of bushes, trees, and tall grass for us to sleep without having to worry about being caught. I actually liked it a lot. It would've been a great place for Navy SEAL training with all the dangling branches and such.

"Sorry. Yeah, this place looks good." I wasn't sure how a forest like this could be so close to a laboratory complex like Desert Center. Two odd locations, one which drove me crazy, one which made me feel at home. Both within a mile of each other.

We sat down on a small log, mere inches from each other, and ate dinner. While I ate, I couldn't help noticing Fang's leg pressed against mine. As much as I was trying to push the thoughts out of my mind, they kept coming back. How could hot guys do that to girls and expect them to not freak out? Fang was just my friend, but I was still a hormonal teenage girl. Some things couldn't be helped.

I realized this wasn't the first time something like this has happened. Several nights ago, Fang lay next to me while we stargazed. The result of that: me grabbing his hand and pulling myself into him. Yeah. Not so great. I didn't want to risk it again, so I figured the best option was to not get myself into a situation like that in the first place. Since we slept together at night, the only thing keeping me under control was my tiredness. And I'm sure I was freaking out in my sleep.

I got up slowly, carefully not spilling my half-eaten can of pre-cooked rice.

"Max? Where are you going?" Fang asked me.

"Um, getting water."

"Your bag is right here." Damn it, Fang, why did you have to be so logical?

"Oh, right!" I said hastily, sitting back down. There it was again. That horrible feeling. I tried my best to scoot away from him, but there was a thorn bush to my left, so I made no progress.

"Max? What's wrong?" Fang said, frowning.

"Nothing!" I answered, way too quickly. He just stared at me. "Okay, fine. I don't like the city, that's all."

"That's a lie, and we both know it. You don't have to lie to me. I won't judge you." Oh, yes, you will. He may not judge me on my architectural tastes, but what would he say if I told him, _Oh yeah, my leg feels like hyperactive jelly whenever it touches yours._

"Fang, just let it go. It's nothing, really."

"Fine," he said, clearly not wanting to let it go.. I got back to eating my dinner, but once again I couldn't focus on it. Really, what was going on with me? Eating the can of rice probably took around five minutes, but it felt like an hour. I felt several drops of sweat bead up on my forehead as I ate.

After we finally finished, my adrenaline rush faded. The burst of energy I received had abandoned me, so I finally realized how tired I was. I'd done my share of freaking out today, and it had been a real energy-drainer.

Fang and I lay down together in a small, enclosed area between a row of bushes and a tall pine tree. We were pressed together rather tightly, and my heart was practically beating out of my chest. I knew what I had to do. I wiggled myself from out of between Fang and the tree and lay down on the opposite side of the bushes.

"Max? Where are you going?"

"It's just a hot night." Lie. It actually was really cool. "I'm going to sleep over here." Fang looked at me strangely, but didn't press. He was probably all too used to dealing with rabid teenage girls back in Phoenix.

I cleared out the area and lay down. I took out my diary and began to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_Well, today sucked. Between the creepy city and my...minor breakdowns, I'm as scared as I've ever been since running away. _

_Something's happening to me, that's for sure. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing._

_Love,_

_Max_

Short and sweet. I closed the book and curled up to sleep. I'm sure you could guess what was on my mind as I drifted off.


	14. Chapter 14

I'm going to stop bolding the Author's Notes. I think it looks better like this.

Cool fact: A New Beginning has passed 100 pages in Word. Thanks to everyone who's been reading it!

Random Quote of the Week: _"To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world." -Dr. Seuss_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

_What was with that girl?_

I wasn't one to freak out, but I was seriously concerned about Max. I had plenty of reasons to be on edge.

1) Max was freaked out about the city. She wasn't scared of much, yet she was scared of a normal, albeit high-tech city.

2) Max was spacing out an abnormal amount. I called her name at least twenty times yesterday, and she ignored me all but two times.

3) It almost seemed as if she was avoiding me. Every time we made contact, she twitched and pulled away. She did that twice during dinner, and just before we went to sleep. It was not a hot night at all, and we definitely could've used each other's warmth. I was slightly peeved at having to sleep cold last night, actually.

4) Max's body was uncharacteristically trembling pretty much the whole day.

I'd like to have known something clicked for me, but the pieces really didn't fit together for me. Then again, I was no mastermind at decoding teenage girls. I'd have to ask Angel about this. Before I could call or email her, though, we'd have to get to Cathedral City. I couldn't stand seeing Max weak or distraught, and she was clearly both of those yesterday. I faulted myself as well for not recognizing the signs earlier. I did know that she was afraid of showing weakness in front of me, though. Well, except for needing my warmth. I hoped I hadn't come across as harsh and judgmental in Max's eyes. I wanted Max to know that I'd never judge her. Everybody was human, and Max was a pretty amazing human.

In a weird way, I was glad my friends were gone. It was fun to hang out with them again, just like old times, but they weren't the focus of my life anymore. Moving around and living with Max was. Even though Max fit right in with my friends, I admittedly liked things better with just Max and I. I'd known Iggy since kindergarten and everyone else for many years, but my bond with them felt like friendship or siblinghood at most. Still, I wouldn't have hesitated to take a bullet for any of them any day. I was a naturally protective person, and none of my friends were getting hurt on my watch.

Even though my friends and I were very close, Angel and Max felt like much more than siblings. Angel and I were adopted siblings, and I was the older brother, but our relationship wasn't that simple. Despite being only ten, Angel was often able to view situations with an adult's maturity. We both grew to be wise beyond our years, but Angel was truly prodigious. Even though I was eight years older than her, talking with her sometimes felt like talking to someone my age. But apart from her mature side, Angel was a ten-year-old at heart. We tried to live normally, well, as normally as _we _could, and that meant letting Angel let it go and be the kid she was. I was set on making sure Angel got a better childhood than I did, and that sometimes involved me stepping up and acting as a fatherly figure to her. But in any case, we were the most important people in each other's lives. In fact, we were the _only _important people to each other, except for our group of friends.

When I saw Iggy recently, it was like looking at a completely different person. The goofy, carefree Iggy was gone and replaced with a more worldly but still laid-back Iggy. He really became a man since his engagement. As a husband, he would have to start acting more serious and demonstrating discipline. Neither of these were his strengths, and he still had a long way to go. But despite being my 'immature twin', as Ella called him, I had no doubt he would be a great father and upstanding citizen. After all, we_ were_ best friends for twelve years. I had to have seen something in him, even as a kindergartener, to stick with him through the good and the bad all these years.

Ella had also changed greatly since I left. Judging by the way she looked at people and talked, she seemed happier and more confident. She was still the girly-girl I knew since elementary school, but I could tell she was growing into a woman. As they matured, I knew it was inevitable that Ella and Iggy would slowly grow apart from our group, but we'd always be good friends.

Behind me, Max's choppy breathing caught my attention. I wiggled my way out from between the trees and sat down by Max's side. She was shivering, her arms were crossed over her chest, and her legs were tucked behind her. She clearly needed to warm up, but how could I help her if she didn't want to come close to me? I decided the best thing to do was to wake her up.

"Max," I said, shaking her shoulders. Max grunted before rolling over. I followed her and shook her again. That seemed to do the trick. Max's eyelids fluttered open as she stopped rolling.

"Fang?" she mumbled groggily.

"You were cold. I had to wake you up."

"Th-thanks," she said, after a pause. She slowly sat up, her teeth still chattering from the cold.

"You can tell me what's wrong, by the way. I won't judge you."

"Nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" she said quickly. I mentally rolled my eyes. She was doing a terrible job of hiding something, whatever it was.

"Max, I can tell when you're lying. Something's wrong, but you don't want to tell me." She looked at me for a moment before dropping her gaze. She looked troubled, like she was torn between telling me and not telling me. I had a feeling she wouldn't be telling me anything, though.

"Let's just eat," Max said, not meeting my eyes. I sighed, unhappy with the situation. Whatever Max was feeling, I hoped she got it together soon for her sake. This wasn't the Max I knew.

I ate my breakfast slowly, eying Max for clues the whole time. As much as I tried to draw the truth out of her, she didn't give anything away. For better or worse, Max was usually good at hiding her emotions when she wanted to. Yesterday and today were exceptions, I hoped. I wanted my Max back.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

"Y-yeah. Just give me a minute to warm up," she said, folding her arms over her chest. Not seeing a better option, I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her. She wiggled her arms into the sleeves and zipped the front. My jacket was slightly big on her, but she'd be able to run just fine.

"Thanks," she said softly. She smiled warmly at me, and just for a second I saw the old Max in her. She stood up and began to stretch in silence. As she stretched, I noticed she was much tenser and less flexible than she usually was. It hardly came as a surprise since mental tension often led to physical tension.

Before we left, I approached Max with one last comment. "No matter what you do, I'll always be here for you. I'm here to help you, not to criticize you." When Max's gaze met mine, I saw a flurry of emotions flash in her eyes: confusion, frustration, determination, and something else I couldn't put my finger on. She nodded at me, a nod that conveyed more than just words. I instantly knew my Max was still in her. It was only a matter of time until I'd have her back.

Hopefully, that time would be sooner rather than later.

* * *

According to my estimates, we were about thirty miles from Cathedral City when we set down for our first break. For the first time, we didn't have to worry about drinking too much water. Max and I guzzled away as we did our best to compensate for the sweat we lost after practically running a marathon. Not to mention, I was carrying a ten-pound backpack on my back. Even though we ran often, it was still hard work.

"Ready to go, Fang?" Max asked me, looking me in the eye. Grinning, I nodded back at her. I had my Max back. The fearless one who stood up straight and looked me in the eye, not the one who stared at her shoes and avoided contact. It was a small sign, but I knew the old Max was back. I was right in that yesterday and today had been anomalies.

For some reason, the next thirty miles felt much lighter and easier than the first thirty.

* * *

At around 4:00 P.M., we arrived in Cathedral City, sweating madly. Sixty miles was the most we'd ever run, and carrying a laptop didn't make things any easier for me. We got several refills of water at a restaurant, and the manager didn't look too pleased. Before he could admonish us, we booted out of there.

Max and I walked around the city for several hours. Cathedral City was quite the opposite of Desert Center. This city had an Ancient Roman feel to it instead of the futuristic aura Desert Center had. The ancient architecture did not have the same effect on Max that the white laboratories had. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself here.

Personally, I wasn't a big fan of the city, but there were certainly parts worth seeing. The ornate church and monstrous bell tower were breathtaking sights for the ages. As a whole, though, this city didn't appeal to me much. I would rather have been at a more modernized city. However, I didn't mind walking around here for Max's sake. She deserved some fun after her Desert Center experience.

As we walked, I checked my map to see if there were any cities nearby. I couldn't find a small one like Blythe, but Riverside, a larger city, was fifty miles away. Depending on what Max felt like, we could travel there tomorrow. Even though Riverside was a large city, it was close to two even larger cities: Pasadena and Los Angeles. I was a bit skeptical about the possibility of visiting L.A., since there were so many people there. We could blend in easily there, but I thought it involved more risks than we needed to take. People were still looking for Max, and going into a big city was just about the last thing we should've done. But whatever Max wanted to do, we could do. Seeing her happy was just about the biggest joy I'd ever felt. Her smile melted through my dark façade and revealed the playful person I was at heart.

As the sun began to approach the horizon line, Max suggested we head out and find a place to sleep. We walked around until we could find an exit that led to a forest-y piece of land on the outskirts of town. Just when we left the city, just about the worst possible thing happened. It started pouring rain. It usually took a few minutes for a drizzle to grow into a torrent, but this was immediate. We had nowhere to stay, and we were going to get drenched if we didn't do anything about it. I felt extremely dumb for not thinking about this situation earlier. In fact, we were lucky not to have experienced rain to this point.

Max hastily threw my jacket on, and I took my spare jacket out of my backpack. After sliding it on, I followed Max back into the city where we could take refuge until the storm passed. We ran for about a minute before seeing an open pawn shop. Max threw the door open and bounded inside. I was hot on her tail. When we were safe inside, we made our way to the back of the store where nobody would see us. We dried ourselves off with our spare clothes and sat down.

"So, I guess we just wait?" Max said.

"Yeah. Let me see if there's Wi-Fi so I can check when the storm ends," I said.

"Oh, good idea."

According to the store's owner, they did have Wi-Fi, but the rain slowed it down badly. It took fifteen minutes for me to connect to the internet. Max and I waited impatiently as the weather page slowly loaded. When I saw the page, I breathed a sigh of relief. The rainstorm was scheduled to end in an hour or two at most. If we were lucky, we could be out of there and in a forest just after sundown.

While we waited, Max told me a little bit about her history in school. Since she was a naturally free and dauntless person, it didn't surprise me that she couldn't stand school. It didn't help that she was physically and verbally bullied throughout grade school. After hearing her stories, I was ready to take apart anyone who dared to lay a finger on Max with my bare hands. Anyone heartless enough to nearly break my Max deserved a beating. I swore to myself I wouldn't let anyone touch her again.

When she finished talking, I realized something. Max hadn't cried or even blinked back tears during her whole explanation. I took it as a good sign that Max was finally able to leave parts of her past behind her and focus more on the future. A sweet, strong, and beautiful girl like Max could be anything they wanted in the world. All Max needed to do was weed out her bad memories from the past. After just two weeks, Max had already made some serious improvements. At this point, it was only a matter of time before Max's past stopped giving her pain. That was the good news at the moment. Unfortunately, the bad news was that it had been at least two hours since we last checked the weather and the storm wasn't showing any signs of letting up. It was already 10:30, half an hour from the shop's closing time.

"Can you check the weather again?" Max asked me.

"Yeah, sure," I said. Then, a thought occurred to me. "Actually, do you want to give it a try?" I said, holding the laptop out to her.

Max immediately broke into a smile that warmed me to my feet. "Yeah!" she exclaimed, as she took the laptop from me. Max eagerly set my laptop in her lap and moved her hand to the scroll pad. After several random clicks in vain, Max frowned. "How do you do this again?"

I knelt down next to her and placed my hand on hers. As soon as my hand touched hers, she stiffened. I looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just show me again how to check the weather," Max said, keeping her eyes on the screen. Was it just my imagination, or was she blushing? Oh, well. Understanding girls was worse than walking a minefield. I roughly equated attempting to understand a girl's brain to trying to hack the FBI website. "Okay, so we need to connect to the internet first. Think of it as opening the door to a room."

"Yeah, I remember _that._ But how do you do that?" she asked. I guided her hand to the connections button and pressed her finger to the left scroll pad button. The connection window popped up.

"There's only one Wi-Fi connection in range, so we have to use it. Thankfully, it's an unsecured one, so we don't need a password," I said, maneuvering Max's finger to the selected network. She clicked it, and the long loading process began. As we waited, I couldn't stop thinking about my hand felt on Max's. I did my best to ignore it, but holding her hand made my head spin a little. It wasn't the same as being dizzy, though. I liked this feeling. I felt the same way last time I did that, and I knew now it wasn't a one-time thing. But what was causing my reaction?

When the home page finally finished loading, Max typed in the link to the weather channel and hit enter. Her eyes widened in shock as she scrolled down the page.

"Are you _freaking _kidding me?" she screeched. "The storm ends at 5 in the morning now! Stupid weathermen!"

"No way…" I muttered, moving to her side. Sure enough, the storm was set to end just after five.

"Well, that's just great. What are we supposed to do?" Max asked. I considered our options. We could:

1) Go out and sleep in the rain

2) Stay up until 5, then sleep

3) Rent a motel room for the night

And what's with me making mental lists today? I'm really not sure. I'm also not sure why I was talking to myself so much today.

Anyways, option 2 looked awfully unrealistic right now. Max and I were already exhausted, and there was no way we could hold out another six hours without coffee. Actually, that was a realistic possibility if we could find a store that was open 24/7. If not, we'd have to utilize another plan.

Options 1 and 3 both looked like last-ditch options we hopefully wouldn't need to resort to. If we had to choose, renting a motel room would definitely be better. It'd be a waste of precious money, but we'd probably end up getting sick if we slept in the rain. If staying up was possible, it would undoubtedly be the best option.

"Stay up until then?" I suggested. Max shrugged.

"Guess so. But where can we go? This place is closing soon."

"Is there a McDonalds near? Those are open 24/7," I said.

"Yeah, we passed one on our way here."

"Let's go." Max turned off my laptop, which she now knew how to use, and handed it back to me. I closed it and slid it into my backpack. We stood up, pulled our hoods on, and left the building.

"Follow me," Max said, darting off into the street. I sprinted after her as she turned several corners and ran down a long, curved road. Sure enough, on the side of the road was a small McDonalds, which Max and I quickly ran into. We sat down in a small booth in a secluded corner of the restaurant. I pulled out my laptop and plugged it into the AC outlet beneath the table. After going without charging for a month, it sure could've used a charge.

I turned the computer on and logged into my email account. Remembering Angel's request to talk, I sent her a quick email telling her to say everything she needed to via email.

"Gonna need a coffee, Fang," Max said as my watch beeped, signaling it was midnight.


	15. Chapter 15

I've been in New York City the past few days. The view from 86 floors up makes me wish I was a bird kid!

Random Comment of the Week:

**My friend: **Free soda and $7 water...and people wonder why Americans are fat.

* * *

**Max's POV**

"That will be two dollars and fourteen cents," the cashier said. I put my hands in my pockets, expecting to find money. Instead, all my hands found was air. Wow, Max. Way to leave the cash back with Fang.

"Hold on a minute," I said, spinning around. I headed back to our booth, where Fang was waiting for me. He was holding out a five-dollar bill and grinning. I snatched it out of his hand and whipped around before he could make a smart remark about how forgetful I was.

"Here," I said, handing the bill across the counter. The cashier gave me my receipt and change.

"Did you hear about that teenage girl that ran away in Phoenix?" the cashier asked me, casually.

I froze, my veins turning to ice. "Maximum Ride?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, I read about her on the news," I said carefully. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Just wondering. I can't believe kids nowadays. Maximum's parents gave her everything, and she still ran away. What an ungrateful girl," he said.

"Yeah, she was probably a terrible kid," I said. Before he could see my shocked expression, I turned around and headed back to Fang.

"Forgetting something?" he said, smirking.

I frowned. "I don't think so."

"Wait here," he said, standing up. He walked towards the cashier. As soon as he left, I realized what I did wrong. I left the coffee back with the cashier.

Wow. Just wow.

A minute later, he returned, coffee in hand. He took a sip and handed it to me. "I put cream in, by the way," Fang said, wisely ignoring my second screw-up in five minutes.

I quickly slurped down a third of the cup and set it on the counter. We would need it throughout the night, so I didn't want to waste it all now. If possible, I wanted to avoid buying another cup.

"Fang, the cashier knew about Maximum Ride."

He looked up from his laptop. "You're kidding. Does he know that she's you?" he whispered.

"Thank goodness, no. He was saying all kinds of stuff about how she had everything, she was a terrible kid, and how ungrateful she was."

Fang shrugged. "Comes to show you how much the media screws things up nowadays."

I smiled. "For all we know, Miley Cyrus could be a myth."

"Oh, what I'd give for that to be true," Fang said, and we both laughed. I set my backpack on the seat and drank another sip of coffee. Fang went back to his laptop. I wondered what he did on that thing. I mean, I was no expert with laptops, but it was just a hunk of metal and plastic smushed together, right?

"I have some good news you should hear," Fang said, looking up from his laptop. "Iggy got accepted into Arizona State University."

"That's great! Is he staying at home or getting a dorm?"

"Not sure. Wait one minute," Fang said, typing something into the keyboard. He had a weird way of typing, using all ten fingers. It seemed to be working, though, as he typed out a sentence in just a few seconds. It looked a lot more professional, too. However he did that, it was a lot faster than my method of using one finger and spending thirty seconds looking for the letter that came next. For all you non-geeks out there, I highly recommend the Fang method of typing.

"He's staying at home for freshman year, so he can be closer to Ella. If Ella gets into Arizona State, they're staying together next year."

"Don't guys have to share rooms with other guys?"

"Yeah. They'll stay at an apartment a mile from campus," Fang said, stifling a yawn. He picked up our cup of coffee and took a few sips. As he drank, he stared vacantly over my head at the raging storm. "I might want to unplug this. Don't want the laptop to get fried by the lightning. Let me go ask if they have surge protection here," Fang said, standing up.

"What?" I asked. I lost him back at 'fried by the lightning'.

"Never mind," he said, walking back to the front of the store. Thirty seconds later, Fang returned with a smile on his face. "Laptop is safe."

"From what?"

"The lightning."

"How would lightning hit the laptop?" I asked, puzzled. Was Fang really that paranoid? I wasn't an aspiring architect or physicist, but I was pretty sure lightning couldn't hit a laptop indoors.

"Not the lightning itself. A power surge."

"A _what?_"

"If the lightning hits the wires providing this building with power, it'll cause a power surge. The outlets are surge-protected, though," Fang explained slowly, as if it was obvious. Sensing my confusion, Fang said, "Never mind. What's important is that the laptop can be charged."

"Geek," I muttered softly under my breath. Fang shrugged, indicating that he heard me. I really had to do a better job of keeping my thoughts inside my head. Fang had freakishly good hearing.

"I took a ton of technology classes in junior year," he said. Oh, that's right. I kept forgetting that Fang was a year older than I was. If I went to eleventh grade, I might've taken some technology courses. I took none of them during my freshman and sophomore years.

"What else did you take?" I asked him.

"The usual. English 11, Algebra 2, Physics 1, World History, P.E., and four tech classes."

"Were you the vale-veli-vali-"

"Valedictorian?"

"Yeah, that."

"That's for seniors, Max."

"Oh, right." I felt extremely stupid, _again_. I blamed it on the fact that it was one in the morning.

"What did you take?"

"The typical sophomore stuff. I did more history and chemistry instead of technology, though."

"You're a sophomore?" he asked.

"I got held back in third grade."

"Ah." Fang looked like he was ready to crash. I was ready to as well, but I didn't think the restaurant would take too kindly to having two teenagers sprawled out on their tables. The management probably wasn't thrilled about us spending six hours in their store while buying one item from them. I wasn't thrilled either about the situation, but the storm didn't give us much of a choice. I'd rather piss off one more cashier than spend fifty bucks on a motel room.

"By the way, when's your birthday, Max?"

"August 18. 5 months after you." Suddenly, I remembered something Angel said. "Fang, are you really an amazing singer?"

"No. What are you talking about?" he said, feigning obliviousness.

"Fang! You have to sing something for me."

"Why would I do that?" he said.

"Because you're good at it."

"What? No, I'm not."

"Angel thinks differently, at least," I said grinning smugly at him.

"Fine. I'll sing something tomorrow."

"You mean today?"

"Yeah, whatever," Fang said, yawning. "I'm cold. Sit with me?" he asked, patting the bench next to him.

"Sure," I said, sitting down with him. Even half-asleep, I managed to remember something about Fang. "You're never cold. And we're indoors."

"Don't complain, Maxi. I know_ you're_ cold."

"Don't call me that. How'd you know?"

Fang smiled. "Shivering is a telltale sign." I grimaced. Every twitch of my body was obvious to Fang. For someone who wasn't a creeper (hopefully), he was pretty damn impressive.

I leaned my head against Fang's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Before I could process what was happening, I fell asleep. My last thought was, _Huh, useless coffee_.

* * *

"Max," Fang said softly, "time to get up." My eyes blinked open. The first thing I saw was the sun's blinding light. I shut my eyes and quickly turned my head.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself looking into Fang's dark eyes. His face was two inches from mine. Our noses were practically touching. Awk-ward.

"I-um-where's the coffee?" I stammered, my heart beating a mile a minute. I couldn't believe how close we were to kissing. If we did…oh, gosh. I didn't even want to think of how awkward it would've been between us.

"I drank the rest of it while you were asleep. Why do you need it?" Fang said. His expression said _let's pretend that didn't happen_. I was more than happy to oblige.

"I'm…tired," I said, in more of a questioning tone than a confident one. I didn't actually want coffee, and Fang knew it.

He looked at me carefully, as if deciding my fate. "A little walk will wake you up. We should probably get going, anyways. It's not raining anymore, and I don't think the employees are happy about annoying blonde-haired girls spending the night in their store." I shot out of my seat and slapped him in the face. Before my hand reached his face, he caught my wrist and chuckled. "You're definitely awake now." I rolled my eyes at him and picked up my backpack. I followed him out of the restaurant and out of town.

We walked for ten minutes before reaching the city limits. Fang sat down and leaned against a tall oak tree. I put down across from him and took out my breakfast. At that moment, it dawned on me that I hadn't eaten for a full day. I scarfed down my last two containers of beans and rice and placed the emptied cans in my backpack.

"Do you have food left?" I asked Fang.

"Nope. We can get more at Riverside."

"Where?"

"Riverside. It's fifty miles from here," Fang said, "but if you want to stay here, we definitely can." As much as I liked Cathedral City, and that was a lot, we couldn't stay. We were lucky not to be caught by the police during our stunt at the McDonalds. I was making way too many poor decisions for a wanted criminal. At least we weren't absent-minded enough to get a motel room. That would've essentially been telling the police, "Here I am! Please arrest me!"

"We should probably go to Riverside. At least we haven't pissed off anyone there yet."

"Sounds good. Ready to go?" Fang said. Just then, something occurred to me. Fang's finger was still probably broken, and I hadn't made any effort whatsoever to help him. I looked at his hand, which was not bandaged. "What's up?" he asked.

"Your fingers. They aren't bandaged anymore."

"Oh, yeah. I tossed out the tape a few days ago. They feel fine, and the tape was getting annoying." Seeing my worried expression, Fang rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Whatever. Let's just go."

* * *

Eight hours later, we arrived in Riverside. I was truly exhausted. I got something like five hours of sleep last night, and I was insanely tired after running fifty miles. I sat down on a hill outside the city and took out my bottle of water. After I took a long swig of it, I lay down and enjoyed the breeze against my face. Besides my unkempt hair getting in my eyes, it felt wonderful.

"Max? Do you want to grab food now?" Fang asked. For the first time in, well, forever, Fang had more energy than me. It was so unfair.

"I'm too tired right now. Maybe later?"

"Sure," he said, lying down next to me. We relaxed in peace for an hour before I stood up slowly. I was in no rush to go anywhere. Getting up then was just like getting out of bed, but harder. I wasn't tired anymore, but I was as comfortable as I'd ever been in the grass with Fang.

"I'm ready now," I said. Fang opened his eyes and stood up. He led me down the hill and into the town. Within five minutes, he located a grocery store. We walked inside and made our way to the canned food aisle. I knew better than to get a week's supply of food right now. It was convenient, but it was hell to run with. Three days' worth of food was plenty.

After we got seven random cans each, we paid and left the store. We walked around the city for a few minutes to get a sense of what it was like. I wasn't sure what I thought about it. I didn't like it as much as Cathedral City or Blythe, but I could've definitely tolerated it. It was much bigger and flashier than the other cities, that was for sure.

At sundown, we left Riverside in search of a place to sleep. I eventually decided on a large ditch in the forest running alongside the city limits. I sat down and drank one last gulp of water. Fang and I lay down in the damp grass and discussed tomorrow's plans. Fang viewed Riverside as too flashy, so he wanted to leave tomorrow. He told me there was a smaller city, Pomona, twenty-five miles from Riverside that we could go to tomorrow.

When Fang fell asleep, I pulled out my diary and pen and began to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_Well, I've seen better days. I mean, who falls asleep in a restaurant and almost kisses their best friend? It takes a klutz like me to manage something that dumb. _

_Would it have really been that bad if we kissed? Nah, it would've been bad. The awkwardness between us would've been unbearable. Plus, even though he's hot and sweet, I just don't like him as more than a friend. He's my best friend, and girls don't _like _their best friends. And he doesn't like me. I know that for sure. _

_But that's about all I know for sure right now. Still looking for answers._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What do you think of MR being adapted to film and getting a ninth book added to the series?

If you haven't heard already, James Patterson is releasing Maximum Ride: Forever, book nine, sometime in January 2015 (think it's the 19th). He's also posting a YouTube series of MR video clips. Basically a movie piece by piece. Oh, and an MR movie is scheduled for a similar release date as the book, but they've been talking since 2006 about it. I hope it happens, but I'm not holding my breath. Details coming. For those who can't find information, I'll do my best to post on this story. If anyone gets an early copy or something, please no spoilers! I hope every one of you guys is as excited as I am!

Summary from eBooks: THE NINTH AND ULTIMATE MAXIMUM RIDE STORY IS HERE! Legions of Max fans won't be disappointed by this encore episode in the beloved series about the incredible adventures of a teenage girl who can fly. As Maximum Ride boldly navigates a post-apocalyptic world, she and her broken flock are roaming the earth, searching for answers to what happened. All will be revealed in this last spectacular "ride"- a brand-new grand finale featuring all of the nonstop action, twists and turns that readers can rely on in a blockbuster Patterson page turner!


	16. Chapter 16

Random Quote of the Week: _"We are not perfect, we learn from our mistakes, and as long as it takes, I will prove my love to you." -Sara Bareilles, "I Choose_ You"

Random Comment of the Week:

**My Friend: **Every time I check my text message inbox from you, it's like opening verbal iFunny.

Disclaimer: I don't own the song in the chapter. Linkin Park does!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

When I lay down in the grassy ditch yesterday, I realized it was the most comfortable place I'd slept in since home. The fluffy grass made a wonderful pillow on which I fell asleep on within seconds. I almost didn't want to get up in the morning, but I knew we had to leave. Max and I hadn't done anything fun or relaxing recently with all the running, so I hoped today would be the last day we needed to run for a while.

Beside me, Max was sleeping, looking like the angel she was. I'd seen her sleeping plenty of times, but she looked more and more beautiful every time. The way her eyes were gently closed, creating tiny wrinkles beside them, the way her lips were pursed, the way her slightly red cheeks rose and fell a little with her breathing; her face was perfect in every way.

Wow, was I really spying on her while she slept? It sounded creepy when I put it that way. Nah, I preferred to think of it as capitalizing on coincidence. It wasn't my fault I was an early riser.

Even though it was days ago, Iggy's last email bothered me. He said that I was in love with Max even if I didn't know it. Now, I was no expert in relationships, but wouldn't I know if I was in love? Love was the strongest emotion there was, and I was pretty sure I couldn't fall for someone without realizing it.

Unfortunately, Iggy was usually right about these things. He knew what he was talking about, and I knew for sure he wasn't trolling me this time. He'd never screw with my mind like that. I decided the best thing to do was pretend that I'd never read the email.

Iggy wasn't the only one who sent me sketchy emails this week, though. After I complained to Angel about the plastic wedding ring she gave me, she told me to make a better effort to hide my love for Max. I naturally ignored the email, but she followed up with a list of signs she observed from me: I respect Max, we sleep together, I always sneak glances at her (wait, really?), and I'm protective of her. But couldn't the same stuff be said about good friends? Yeah. That rendered Angel's email meaningless, since it was obvious we were good friends. But naturally, everything concerning the subject bothered me.

While I waited for Max to wake up, I thought about the road ahead. We could get to Pomona by today, and if we were lucky, we could stay a few days. Pasadena was just 40 miles from there, and L.A. was ten miles from there. I decided that Los Angeles would be a good idea. It was so populated, so nobody would recognize Max, and it would be a fun experience for both of us. I, for one, was curious as to what happened at nightclubs. We didn't have money to burn, but there were some free nightclubs we could try. We'd have to be careful, though. Especially Max. I was worried drunk guys at the club would try to take advantage of a young, beautiful girl like Max. On second thought, maybe a club wasn't such a good idea.

Oh yeah, that's right. We're not 21 yet, and we don't have ID's. Crap.

But there were plenty of other things to do in Los Angeles, right? They had a few baseball teams. Too bad the tickets cost money. But, if we could get our hands on the cheapest tickets, maybe it'd be worth considering. There were beaches, too, right? Nah, we didn't have swimsuits. And it'd be way too hot if we just lay down on the sand all day. Where was the fun in that?

I remembered someone telling me about the modern art galleries there. I heard they were really nice, even though 'modern' art reminded me of graffiti. Max probably would've liked it. If it made her happy, I was in. Another thing Max probably would've liked was the big park near Hollywood. If I remembered correctly, it was called Lake Hollywood Park. Not as nice as Central Park, but a cool place nonetheless.

Even though I hated Hollywood and pop culture, there was plenty to do in L.A. I wasn't worried about getting bored. That was the least of our problems, anyway. The police were unlikely to find us in L.A., so that wasn't a big issue, but we didn't have a place to sleep. If we went outside the city, it would take forever to get to the places we wanted to during the day. The park was an option; according to a picture I saw online, it was humongous and had plenty of trees and bushes, giving us plenty of places to sleep.

As the sun slowly ascended above the horizon line, Max's eyelids fluttered open a crack, and quickly shut. She yawned and rolled over. I sat in silence as I waited for her to wake up. Ten minutes later, she finally woke up for good. She leaned against the ditch's wall, facing me. We took out a can of food each and ate breakfast. Today, we were in no rush to get going. We could easily do twenty-five miles in four hours.

Just before we left, Max insisted that I sing a song for her. I declined at first, but Max's irresistible Bambi eyes screwed me over. It was so unfair how she could do that. First she makes me freeze up with one hand, and now with a mere look? I was getting more and more pathetic by the day.

"Okay, fine," I finally said.

Max smiled sweetly. "Thanks!"

"What do you want me to sing?"

"Anything is fine."

"Okay," I said, as I took out my laptop. I opened my iTunes account and went to the 'Instrumentals' section. Since I sang so much at home, I had instrumentals for practically all my songs. I scrolled through my songs, looking for something that Max would like.

My Chemical Romance? Nope. She'd think I was actually the emo kid I looked like. Sadly, my friends always gave me My Chemical Romance t-shirts, albums, and posters for my birthday. I wore the shirts and stuck the posters to my wall for the hell of it. I didn't like the band, but everyone who ever saw my room naturally would've assumed I was an unhinged, diehard fanatic.

Justin Timberlake? Nah. Too flashy.

Lady GaGa? No freaking way. If she knew I had every Lady GaGa album on my iTunes, I'd never live it down.

Linkin Park? Ah, now we were talking. I looked through my selection of songs. I wasn't going to rap, so that ruled out most of their songs. After a minute of scrolling, I eventually settled on my personal favorite, Castle of Glass. It was a slow song written in honor of the country's veterans.

"Do you know Linkin Park?" I asked Max.

"Do I know them? They're my favorite rock band of the decade!" All right, I wasn't expecting that. Since when did girls like nu metal and screamo music?

"Oh, really? Well, I'll sing Castle of Glass, if you like that one."

"Heck yeah!"

I pressed play on the computer and the intro began to play. As the memorable introduction's beats began to filter through the laptop's speakers, I started to sing.

After I sang the first verse Max was staring at me with wide eyes. Her hands were clasped together.

After I sang the chorus, an instrumental section ensued. I smiled at Max, who looked completely awestruck. I didn't have many moments like these very often, so I had to savor them. As the instrumental music faded to the background, I began singing the second verse.

As the outro came to a close, Max's gaze never left my eyes. Suddenly, Max jumped me in a bear hug. "That-was-freaking-amazing!" she said between breaths.

I grinned. "I know."

"Why didn't you sing something earlier?" she asked. I shrugged. "Were you in a band?"

"Not formally, but the Flock and I did some music for fun. Iggy played guitar, Gazzy played drums, Nudge played keyboard, Angel was our DJ, and Ella and I were the co-singers."

"Do you have any pictures?

"Yeah, hold on a minute." I clicked around until I reached my folder of band pictures. I clicked 'start slide show' and handed the laptop to Max. She browsed through the pictures and stopped on one. All of a sudden, she burst out laughing. I moved behind her and saw what she was laughing at. In a picture of the Flock in the studio, my tongue was sticking out and my hair was spiked up. I remembered that day well. On Angel's eighth birthday, Iggy, Nudge, Ella, Gazzy, and I dressed up and acted like rock stars. It was a memorable day for all of us.

After Max finished laughing, she moved on to the rest of the album and finally closed it. She handed my laptop back to me. I turned it off and slid it into my backpack's outer pocket.

"So, you wanna get going soon?" I suggested.

"Why wait?" Max said, jogging off into the street. I followed her westward as she ran to Pomona.

* * *

Just after noon, we arrived in Pomona. As soon as we stepped through the gates, I decided I liked the city. It strongly reminded me of Blythe in that it was small, cozy, and rural. I wasn't sure how a city like this could be smack-dab in the middle of Riverside and Los Angeles, but it was really nice. Max and I immediately set out in search of the park.

After several hours, we arrived in the small but beautiful park at the heart of Pomona. We sat down on the bench next to the three-tiered fountain in the center.

"I like this place," I told Max.

"Agreed. Up for staying here?"

"Definitely," I said, my gaze floating across the beautiful park landscaping. The trees and shrubs were planted in an orderly way, but in no way did it look robotic. The landscapers did a wonderful job with this park. A meandering creek snaked around the edges of the park and deposited water into a pond on the north side. The clear water glittered under the sunlight.

We sat in the park and relaxed for several hours before leaving the park in search of a restaurant to fill our water bottles. Max promptly spotted one, and we were in and out within three minutes toting filled water bottles.

As we left the city to find a place to sleep, Max told me, "You're really an amazing singer."

"Thanks."

"You have to sing something else."

"Sure, as long as you sing something for me before then."

"Me? Sing? You're kidding," she scoffed.

"Nope."

"Do you value your hearing?"

"Yeah."

"Then I won't sing," she said, with a note of finality. I figured pestering her wasn't going to get anywhere, but I wasn't giving it up. If her angelic normal voice was any indication, she was probably a great singer. But who knew? Angel couldn't sing for the life of her, and her speaking voice was like a younger version of Max's.

Max eventually decided on a thick block of pine trees growing a quarter mile from the city. It wasn't ideal, but it provided great protection and warmth. We pushed our way to the center of the cluster and set our stuff down. We sat down in the very middle to avoid getting sap on our clothes.

"So, what do you think about L.A.?" I asked.

"I mean, I'm in if you are."

"Sounds like a plan, then. Do you know anything to do there?"

"Um, besides going to clubs and bars? Nope," she said.

"Well, there are some beaches, parks, baseball teams, and art galleries."

"Aren't there those in every city?" Max asked.

"Yeah, but Los Angeles has them to the extreme. It's the second-biggest city in the country."

Max paused before responding. "I guess so. So do you want to go there tomorrow or wait a few days?"

"How about we wait?" I suggested. "This city is really our style."

Max shrugged. "Why not," she said.

We sat and talked for several hours before the sun went down. After a quick dinner, I lay down under the trees. With the pine needles surrounding me and poking me from all directions, I had trouble falling asleep for the first time.

"Hey, Max?"

"Yeah?" she asked, quickly folding up her diary.

"What do you write in that thing?" I asked.

She grinned. "None of your business, Fangles. Don't you know that diaries are secret?"

"Worth a shot," I muttered. After Max finished writing, she lay down by me. Her warmth and breathing rocked me to sleep within minutes, and I drifted off into unconsciousness.

* * *

More news about the new Maximum Ride stuff:

The online YouTube video series will be released starting in Spring 2015. I really hope this actually comes through. A MR movie/video series would be ah-mazing.

James Patterson posted this on Facebook: "How many books are ideal for a series? Lemony Snicket says 13. Should Maximum Ride have 13 books? Maybe not, but I'll let you in on a secret: it's going to have more than 8."

So could this mean that we're looking at another sub-series? The Fugitives was the first, consisting of the first three books. The Protectors was the second, containing the last five. I assume he's starting a new section for post-apocalypse action? I really hope he keeps adding to the series. I know the books have been getting progressively worse, but (don't kill me, please. I can't write anymore if I'm dead) I actually loved Nevermore. I'm really psyched for the next book.

I'd be happy to answer any questions about the new MR stuff!


	17. Chapter 17

"Do max and fang like snuggle together or how do they sleep?" -lovebugboo99

Answer: They don't really snuggle together; they just lie next to each other. Right now, they're nothing more than best friends. :) However, they did snuggle during the Chapter 10 scene.

Random Quote of the Week: _"I will love you like I've never been hurt, run through fire for you like I've never been burned." -Demi Lovato, from "Never Been Hurt"_

* * *

**Max's POV **

I trusted Fang and all, but my diary was personal. I wouldn't even want to re-read it myself so I wouldn't remind myself of how weird I was. I wanted to use it, though, as a way to vent my emotions to someone who wouldn't judge me. It didn't matter to me that my diary was inanimate. Fang wouldn't need one, since he's so smooth and graceful, but with me being a hormonal rolling ball of awkwardness, I felt the need to write stuff down. Fang was the normal one, keeping the freak show known as me grounded. He actually lived a somewhat normal life with _friends_.

As soon as I woke up, my point was proven. I tried to sit up and promptly crashed my head into a branch and fell back down, dazed.

"You all right, Max?" he said, bending over.

"Yeah," I said, as I crawled out from under the tree. When I was a safe distance from the tree trunk, I sat up and faced Fang.

"By the way," Fang said thoughtfully, "while you were asleep, I realized something. If you take all of the first initials from the Flock members, but replace Ella with you, you get 'I'm Fang.'"

I mentally tested his theory, and sure enough, he was right. "What a great realization. You deserve an award."

"I know, right?" Fang said proudly.

"I'm so proud of you, ego boy. So are we eating breakfast or what?"

"Well, I was thinking about going to the park to eat breakfast. It's a lot better than the middle of a bunch of sticky trees that are getting run into by teenage girls."

"Oh, shut up. Not everyone is as suave and slick as you?"

Fang chuckled. "Me? Suave? You're joking, right? I'm the exact opposite."

"What? I'm supposed to be the rolling ball of awkwardness. You never make clumsy mistakes."

"Remember how I broke my finger?" I stifled a laugh as I pictured Fang popping a manhole cover up only to have it land back on his fingers. Then I thought of how painful it was and felt guilty for finding it funny. "Don't worry, you can laugh. I find it equally funny and pathetic, even if I was the victim of it. Because after all, you love me soooo much." He smiled triumphantly.

My mouth dropped open as I stared at Fang. "That was so long ago!" How did he even remember that?

"You still said it." Without another word, I punched him in the arm. Satisfied at seeing him wince, I turned around and led him out of the block of trees. We strolled into town and walked along the sidewalk until we reached the park. As we walked, I paid attention to important buildings we passed like department stores in case we needed to visit them later. It had come in handy quite a few times so far.

After a few minutes, we ended up in the park at the center of the small town. The park was perfect in my eyes. It wasn't too big so as to feel overly majestic, but it was spacious enough to not make us feel cramped. The landscaping was brilliant. The rustic sounds from the birds and rushing river capped off the best square kilometer I'd ever set foot in.

We ate breakfast silently at one of the picnic tables. After we ate, Fang took our backpacks to the trash can to throw away all of our empty cans. When he handed my pack back to me, it occurred to me that I never realized how much dead weight I was carrying until it was gone. My backpack felt much lighter and more comfortable without metal cans digging into my back.

"Hey, you wanna talk to Ella again?" Fang asked me.

"Definitely! Do you still have change?"

"Yep. Enough for two calls," he said, standing up. I followed him out of the park. We walked around town in search of a telephone booth. Unlike last time we had to use one, there was no sense of urgency this time. Fang had his laptop back, so we could just use it to email his friends if necessary. It was free, and it didn't require coordinating, so it was probably the better option for us. But writing a message in text wasn't the same as speaking to them. Letters and e-mails just didn't convey the same emotions and vibes as talking.

After an hour of walking, covering most of the town, we finally found a telephone booth. I honestly didn't mind that it took an hour since it gave me a chance to explore the town and learn where everything was. We couldn't stay anywhere for more than a few days, but I wanted to make the most of our time here. I was secretly excited about going to Los Angeles, but this city was definitely worth staying at.

Fang handed me fifty cents, which I deposited into the payphone. I dialed Ella's number and picked up the phone.

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

"Hello?" Ella said.

"Hey, Ella!" I said.

"Max! How's it going?"

"It's great! We're in Pomona, fifty miles from Los Angeles."

"Oh, that sounds fun. Are you going to L.A.?"

"In a few days."

"Sweet! What are you doing there?" Ella asked.

"We haven't decided yet."

"I feel ya. There's way too much stuff to do there. So how are things going between you and Fang?"

"Great. Our _friend_ship is as strong as ever," I said.

"So week one was a failure, I guess. But we still have the rest of the month! "

"Oh, God, you're not actually trying to set us up, are you?"

"Of course we are!"

"Well, good luck, because it will never work."

"Let's see at the end of the month."

"Okay, sure. It's not like anything will be different."

Ella laughed. "Just watch us. Nudge, Angel, and I are master matchmakers."

"Well, I'm the master at being single. I've never dated anyone in my life." I was vaguely aware of Fang chuckling softly from the bench.

"There's a first time for everything."

"Did your mom tell you that?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"She told Fang the exact same thing just before you left."

"Oh. That's my mother for you. By the way, are you okay with us visiting you again?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, cool. I'll try to find a day that works. Fang and I can coordinate the details over email."

"That sounds fun. But you better not do what you did last time while Fang and I were asleep."

Ella laughed. "I'm not making any promises."

"Okay, whatever. How are things back at home?"

"It's been alright. Iggy lost his job at Starbucks for "accidentally" giving a customer a prank mug. You should've seen his face! The coffee was all over his suit."

"Crap! Really?"

"Yeah. Now we're looking for another summer job for him. He won't be able to work during the school year, so he can probably just get a job at Target for the rest of the summer. And if you're wondering, Iggy has no regrets. I better watch my back."

I laughed, picturing Iggy squirting Ella with a stream of black coffee. "That's good. How are Nudge and Gazzy?"

"They're great! Nudge told me they had their first kiss three days ago! It was amazing," Ella said.

"Aww, that's sweet. I hope they're happy."

"You bet they are! Angel is happy also. She'd be even happier if you and Fang got together, though."

"I hope she's satisfied with her level of happiness right now, then."

"Whatever. I have to go now, see you later!"

"Bye!" I said, hanging up the phone. I turned around to face Fang, who stood up. We left the telephone booth and walked to the nearest restaurant. After filling our bottles, taking a huge swig from them, and refilling them again, we left the restaurant.

"Park or café?" Fang asked me.

"Café," I responded. We hadn't been in one for a while, and it was scorching hot outside, so why not? Today would've been a horrible day to run. Thankfully, we were in a nice town, so we didn't need to run.

We found a Starbucks on the other side of the town, near the schools. Thankfully, it was a weekday, so the students were still in school. The Starbucks was nearly empty. As I walked through the door, I was hit by a refreshing blast of cold air from the wonderfully air-conditioned coffee shop. When I stepped in, two large, green, cushioned chairs against the wall caught my attention. My eyes widened. I was always a sucker for comfortable chairs. I'd gotten detention once for sitting in my math teacher's swivel chair. I made a beeline for the seats and sat down. Fang sat in the other one and set his backpack on the ground. He took out his laptop and powered it on.

"I'm looking for tourist attractions in Los Angeles," he told me. He clicked a few times on the screen and waited. "What do you think of a baseball game?"

"That would be fun. But don't they cost money?"

"Yeah, they do. But wait one second," he said. After a few more clicks, Fang smiled. "Next Thursday, they're selling one dollar tickets to the Dodgers game."

"Oh, really? That's a good idea, then."

"Yeah. It's not until Thursday, and the game is just a few hours long, so I'll look for more things to do. By the way, there's some good news for once," Fang said. I raised my eyebrows and looked over his shoulder. On the screen, a headline read, "_POLICE GIVING UP SEARCH FOR 17-YEAR-OLD MAXIMUM RIDE_".

A burst of excitement permeated my muscles as I read the rest of the story. Apparently, the police still had their eyes open for me, but weren't after me anymore. That was nice. There was an exceedingly low chance the police would find me now. I didn't look much different than plenty of other girls, so it would be difficult for them to single me out. Even while the policemen were after me, I doubted they'd recognize me.

Fang and I stayed in the Starbucks until 3:00. Fang found plenty of free attractions in Los Angeles, including Lake Hollywood Park, multiple art galleries, a large museum, and several other things. Now that it was cooler outside, we walked around Pomona for several hours, looking for things to do tomorrow. I saw a geology museum that had free admissions. It wasn't perfect, but it beat sitting around doing nothing all day.

Another thing I noticed about the town was the paving. Many parts of the town's ground were completely made of brick. It reminded me of Times Square except for the fact that it was much less populous. We passed fifty people at the most over the course of the day.

By sundown, we'd practically walked around the entire town. We left the town and looked for a place to sleep. We had the pine tree cluster as a last resort, but it was annoyingly uncomfortable and impractical. Within fifteen minutes, Fang spotted several rows of bushes that could've been used for sleeping. We sat down between two widely spaced rows.

After we ate dinner, Fang lay down to sleep. I took out my diary and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_Why do I have to be the clumsy one? I thought boys were the klutzes in relationships._

_WTF WAIT I DIDN'T MEAN TO WRITE THAT. CRAP. I can't scratch it out without tearing the paper, but Diary, pretend that's not in you. Whatever you do, remember that I meant to write 'friendships' instead._

_See what I mean by me being a rolling ball of awkwardness? _

_He tries to ignore my mistakes and carry on, but I know how dumb I am. He's making it sound like nothing because he's such a sweet person, not because I'm any less of an idiot. I do appreciate how nice he is to me, though. Every day of my life, whether I knew it or not, Fang has been my hero. Even before I met him, he was the best friend I dreamed of having. The prospect of companionship was what kept me going through my life at home. _

_Still looking for someone to vent to. For now, I choose you. But maybe Angel? Or Ella? I should trust Fang with these things, but I just…can't. I'm not sure why, but every instinct in my body tells me not to spout my soul to him. At least not yet._

_Love,_

_Max_

"Max? What's wrong? The paper's not going to kill you, you know," Fang said. I quickly shut my diary and looked at him.

"Nothing. Why?"

"You were staring at the paper so intently I was wondering whether you were planning to eat it."

I laughed, hoping to break the tension. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said softly, sensing my discomfort.

"Good night, Fang."

"Night, Max."

I lay down next to Fang as I set my diary back into my bag. Within five minutes, I was asleep, my mind traveling to a utopia in which confusion and indecision didn't exist.

* * *

**Question of the Chapter:** What do you want Max and Fang to do in Los Angeles? They are 17 and 18, so they will not be able to go to any clubs, bars, or casinos. I still need ideas, though.

News: The video series, hopefully beginning Spring 2015, will be launched in a block of six to ten 10-15 minutes clips at first. New videos will be added at an undisclosed rate.

The book will have 416 pages, if my sources are correct.

There is also a sample on the Barnes and Noble website. It's 15 pages or so, and it's a quick read. I personally found it slightly disappointing, but you should all go check it out. It's a new style.

-J


	18. Chapter 18

200 reviews! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed!

By the way, I did not think of the "I'm Fang" thing. I read it somewhere, can't remember where.

Random Quote of the Week: _"Fear is only in our minds, taking over all the time." from Evanescence's "Sweet Sacrifice"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

By the time I woke up, the sun had already risen. Max and I were in no rush to go anywhere today, so I took my sweet time getting up. Max was still lying down next to me sleeping soundly like always.

I continued to lie beside her, warming up both of our bodies. Since body temperatures decreased while sleeping, we could've both used a little extra heat. Contrary to what Max believed, I _did _get cold; I was just good at keeping it to myself. I experienced multiple long stretches of time locked outside of my house during the winter when I was younger, so I learned to adapt to chilly temperatures. On the other hand, the same thing happened during summer several times, and I ran at least 250 days a year, so I could handle heat as well. My parents' negligence turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Max was way different than I was in this way. She had a higher heat threshold than I did, but got cold pretty easily. My jacket was practically hers now, given how much she used it. Every time I wore it again, the inside smelled like…well, Max. There wasn't really a word to describe it, but it smelled good. The scent was not at all like perfume, but it had a comforting twinge that made me feel warm.

Even though my black jacket went a lot better with my all-black outfit, it made Max look more beautiful and powerful. At first glance, she was not someone not to be messed with, with her facial structure and pointed glare, but in black? Her levels of badassness just skyrocketed.

Another thing I noticed about her was even though she was tough, Max blushed over the smallest things. Every time some said a comment that made her even slightly uncomfortable, her face immediately reddened. I actually found it kind of cute.

Suddenly, I felt a brush on my lip. I froze. I was quick, but I wasn't quick enough to stop what had just happened. I definitely deserved to be called a rolling ball of awkwardness.

You see, when I lay down, I was facing Max. I logically figured our chests gave off more heat, so we'd trap it better. All good, right?

While she slept, Max rolled over and ended up facing away from me. I subconsciously inched a bit closer while I slept, too. My head also found a nice pillow on a tuft of grass several inches closer to Max. At this point, we were about a foot apart, with my head being a little closer.

You can probably guess what happened next. After I was already awake, Max flipped back over and caught me by surprise. I would've been able to scoot out of her way, but I didn't notice her rolling. As her left side landed on the grass, her lips brushed mine.

Yeah.

I scrambled back and got to my feet, praying, _praying_ Max was still asleep. My lips were tingling from our half-kiss (is that what it's called?) and my head was spinning. The contact only lasted for a split second, but I remembered every bit of it clearly. The remnants of the taste of Max's lips lingered on mine. I swallowed, trying to forget it all. This couldn't happen. It just couldn't. A romance between Max and I would never work, and neither of us wanted it. It just made no sense whatsoever to anyone but Ella, Nudge, and Angel. I would never let the gods of love snatch my best friend away from me.

When Max shifted, I saw her eyes were still closed. _Thank God,_ I thought. I cursed fate for letting it happen. Why couldn't I see it coming sooner? Why did Max have to roll over at that exact moment? Why couldn't our noses have touched instead? That wouldn't have been too weird. I think.

My brain was still recovering from the short-circuit Max's lips gave it, so I stopped thinking. I lay down several feet from Max and closed my eyes, trying to forget what happened. I would've loved to say that I fell back asleep, snapped out of my daze, and this little incident turned out to be a dream.

No such luck. My brain, now on overdrive, wouldn't calm down. My mind rarely stopped, or even slowed down, but this was different. Normally, my brain generated too much for me to say, so I shut my mouth to avoid looking stupid. I wasn't the dark, angsty kid most people viewed me as. But this was not a normal occurrence. I didn't have too much to say, I had _nothing _to say. My brain was moving so fast, I couldn't pick out individual thoughts.

I suddenly realized how pathetic I was, _again. _Once again, Max had a crazy effect on me by doing something so simple. But this was worse. When our hands met, for instance, my brain simply sped up. That wasn't bad at all compared to completely freezing up and nearly spontaneously experiencing a heart attack. And that was just a brush of the lips. A full on kiss…I didn't even want to think about it.

I decided the best way to distract myself was food. I took out a can of rice, cut the lid off, and downed it in four scoops. I stuffed everything back inside my bag and sat down, carefully keeping my distance from Max. She looked at peace, as if nothing had happened.

After another hour or so, Max finally woke up. She stretched slowly, sat up, and faced me. When she looked at my eyes, she frowned.

"What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Something's wrong. And you were the one who was telling me I could share stuff with you?" she said, frowning. What the hell? How could she tell? Crap. How do I get out of this? I couldn't tell her about our accidental half-kiss, but I didn't want her thinking I was a distrusting hypocrite, either.

I forced a laugh. "You're kidding, right? Do you think I could put on a convincing show to you this early in the morning?" Another lie. I was definitely a morning person. Plus, it wasn't early at all. The sun was already up, and I'd been awake for nearly an hour.

She looked into my eyes again, looking for any signs of lying. Even though Max was good at picking out my true intentions, I blocked out my emotions and yielded nothing. Very, very few people could call my bluff when I put on my best poker face.

"Yeah, sorry," she said, really meaning it. I felt immensely guilty, but what else was I supposed to do? I picked my poison, and I thought I chose the right one. Still, it didn't stop my heart from cracking when Max looked up at me with her big brown eyes asking for breakfast.

After she ate breakfast, we walked back into the city. She mentioned something about a geology museum, and I figured it would be better than sitting around and reading depressing news. I didn't know anything about geology, and the only thing I could tell about rocks was how comfortable it was to sleep on them.

We reached the museum within fifteen minutes of light jogging. We passed the security guards and entered the building through a small tunnel. The narrow threshold opened up into a cavernous lobby. The ceiling had to have been at least thirty feet high, and the towering tendrils of rock in the center of the lobby looked small in the middle of such a spacious room.

"Where do you want to go?" Max said.

"I don't know, there?" I said, pointing down a corridor lined with black rock. Max shrugged and followed me around the lobby and to the hallway.

"Do you know what his black rock is called?" Max asked me.

"Nope. I don't know any geology."

"Really? That's just sad. Everyone knows this is obsidian."

"Ob-what-ian?"

"Ob-si-di-an," Max enunciated carefully.

"Oh," I said stupidly. "Did you take a geology course?"

"No, it's just common knowledge."

"How is knowing the long name of a random black rock common knowledge?"

"It's not some random rock. It's one of the most distinct and commonly used rocks in history."

"What could you possibly do with a hunk of this stuff?" I asked. Like, really. It looked uncomfortable to lie on, too heavy to throw, but maybe it could be used as a paperweight? It seemed pretty useless to me.

"You seriously don't know? Obsidian is one of the sharpest rocks there are. It's used for a bunch of cutting tools."

"Wait, you're saying this is sharp?" I asked, placing my hand on it. It felt glassy and smooth to the touch, and not sharp in the least.

"When you cut it or break it, you idiot. Do you really know _that _little about geology?"

"I mean, when in life would I need to know anything about this piece of useless garbage?"

"Okay, picture this. You need to cut something, and you have a chunk of obsidian and a dead twig. Knowing you, you'd probably choose the twig, but I'm going with the obsidian."

"Hey! Wait, how would a chunk of obsidian cut anything?"

"You're not serious, are you? Didn't I just say that you break it?"

"And how would you break it?"

"Chuck it at a harder rock."

"Oh," was all I could say. Note to self: don't try to argue with Max about something you know nothing about. It's a huge ego-bruising experience.

Looking through the rest of the exhibit was pretty boring. Everything looked the same. Everything was either a hunk of obsidian or an arrowhead. I had to give credit to the architects, though, because I felt pretty awesome just standing in that hallway. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all black. It reminded me of an aquarium, except this was ten times darker. The only lights in the entire hallway were the soft white lights illuminating the exhibits. Throw in all the black rocks, and I was pretty much in my element.

"Fang?" Max said, turning around. "Where'd you go?"

"I'm right here," I said, startling her. Her eyes widened as she jumped backwards.

"I didn't see you there. Don't scare me like that next time."

"What am I supposed to do, act like I'm invisible and ignore you?"

"Never mind. This place is a bit depressing, don't you think?"

"How is this depressing?"

"It's all-wait, never mind. You're emo, so you're used to black."

"Shut up. I'm not emo."

"Whatever. But seriously, why do you always wear black?" she asked.

I shrugged. "It's just my color. Goes well with my hair and eyes."

Max stifled a laugh. "So you do care about how you look?"

"Never denied it."

"But there are tons of people with dark hair. Most of them have heard of a new scientific development called _color._"

"I guess I'm not one of those people. I never said I was normal."

"True. Hey, do you wanna check out the limestone hallway?"

"Sure," I said, knowing better than to question her this time. We walked back to the lobby, where Max led me into the 'sedimentary rocks' section. I understood what that meant as much as I understood why chicken noises are referred to as cock-a-doodle-do, but I honestly didn't care. It wasn't like my life depended on whether I could classify rocks or not. Hell, I would've been satisfied with calling all rocks 'rock'. We walked into the limestone hallway, where the color immediately blinded me.

Not really, but you get the point. The bright whites and greens were a complete one-eighty from the obsidian hallway. I wanted to go back, but I didn't think Max would've enjoyed standing in a black room all day. We stayed in the limestone hallway for about an hour, and I learned quite a bit. Once I got over the fact that everything was white, or close to white, I looked around and read the signs. The most interesting fact I saw was that water could dissolve limestone. That led me to believe that this rock was just as useless as obsidian, but at least it could look cool while getting melted into oblivion. That counted for something.

The rest of the day passed by quickly. We walked around most of the museum, and I learned a bunch of random, useless facts. At around six, when the museum closed, we left and walked to the park. We sat down on a bench facing the lake and talked while we took in the beautiful scenery. A mild breeze rustled the trees, and made Max's hair float a little. Looking at Max's face without any distractions reminded me of our kiss this morning.

Oh, _that. _I should've known I could only forget about it for a few hours before it came back to me. Even though the whole situation sucked majorly, I was grateful Max didn't know about it. She had enough on her plate to deal with without me bringing up her mistakes while asleep. Was it weird that she pronounced her undying love and half-kissed me both while asleep? I mean, I wasn't her boyfriend or anything, but it would've been pretty pathetic if I was. A girl's sleeping hours aren't the best hours to get in on some action. Unless my eighteen years of life have lied to me, girls value their sleeping as much as their makeup.

How did I end up comparing sleep and makeup, again? Oh right, _girls. _They were the common theme between pretty much any two things in the world.

Anyway, we sat by the lake (me wishing Max wouldn't push me in again) well past sundown. The circle of lampposts skirting the edges of the park provided us with ample light to see the lake. Even though it was a new moon today, the lake tonight reminded me of the lake we slept by on our fourth day together.

After Max started to get tired, we traced our footsteps to the bushes we slept by yesterday. Max pulled out her diary as I lay down next to one of the rows of bushes. Even though I was asleep within several minutes, I still vaguely remembered feeling Max set her body next to mine after I drifted off.

* * *

Random Fact: The story in my Word document so far is exactly 45,678 words not including Author's Notes.

**Question of the Chapter: OC ideas! I need a bunch of OC's for later in the story. They will not play main roles, but they will be an important part of the story.**

Name:

Age (Must be 5-25):

Hair Color:

Eye Color:

Height:

Weight:

Personality:

Thank you! (:

-J


	19. Chapter 19

Review of the Week:

**Carli Runders: **Correction: NORMAL girls value their sleep. Not fangirls in the least...

* * *

**Max's POV **

For the first time in over a week, I woke up before Fang. After yawning and briefly stretching, I crawled out from between Fang and a bush, careful not to disturb Fang. I sat down several feet from him and took out my diary. I didn't want to remind myself of how crazy I was, but I had some time to kill. Reading my diary wasn't a bad way to do it.

I opened the blue journal Fang bought me and flipped to the first page. I skimmed through my seventeen entries, making sure my eyes didn't settle too long on any one entry. After I read it, I knew one thing for sure: I would never want to be within fifty feet of me if I were someone else. I was so weird it scared me.

I noticed several things while reading it. First off, I referred to my diary as a living being _way_ more often than anyone normal would. Secondly, most of my entries were centered around Fang. I guess that was to be expected, since he was the only other person in my life for the most part. Finally, I noticed that I somehow spelled everything correctly. I couldn't spell for the life of me at school, so I wasn't complaining. It was mistake-free as well, except for when I wrote that Fang and I were in a relationship. That mistake was so hilariously embarrassing; it made up for my spotless writing on all the other entries. Thank goodness Fang didn't have access to my diary. Well, he could easily read it during my sleep if he wanted to, but I trusted him not to invade my privacy.

After I finished reading it, I slid my diary back into the outer flap of my backpack. I zipped it up and opened the biggest pocket, hoping to find food. I opened it and stared inside. There was nothing inside the pocket except for my change of clothes.

Oh, yeah. We were out of food. Hopefully Fang would wake up soon so we could go eat. I didn't want to wake him up, but my stomach's patience was wearing thin. He'd gotten at least nine hours of sleep at this point, which was plenty for him. I decided to give him one more hour.

Thankfully, Fang woke up within fifteen minutes of my mental deadline. He stretched and slowly sat up next to me.

"Gmmaoratrg," he mumbled groggily. He cleared his throat. "Morning."

I laughed. "Good morning. Care for a bite?"

"Sure. We should probably decide if we're staying or going now, though." After a short discussion with Fang, we decided it was time to leave Pomona behind. There wasn't much else to do here, and we didn't want to stay at any one place for more than a few days.

"Pasadena is forty miles away. We can stay there a day, if you want, but Los Angeles is only ten miles from there," Fang said.

"Let's stay there. Nothing to lose, right?"

"Yep. Well, unless you want to get to L.A. a day faster."

"It's fine."

"Let's go," he said. "I'm hungry."

"You got it," I said, standing up. I rubbed my eyes and walked with him into the city. We went to the mini-market ten minutes from our sleeping spot and got a small loaf of bread. After we paid, Fang and I walked to the park and sat down at the picnic table. I ate the biggest meal I'd ever eaten in my life, which wasn't saying much at all, and relaxed by the lake with Fang while we waited for the food to digest.

We talked about school, and some of the funny experiences we'd had. Apparently, Fang was the "remote control guy" for Iggy's pranks. Fang wasn't skilled in pyrotechnics, so Iggy gave him simple jobs like pushing buttons and moving joysticks. Apparently, Iggy only gave me a brief summary of the vast array of crazy stunts he, Gazzy, and Fang pulled.

I shared some of the lighter parts of my past with Fang, but I carefully avoided mentioning anything about getting bullied or attacked. I remembered the fierce, protective look on Fang's face when I told him about one of the times I was attacked. He was really sweet, but I didn't want to burden him with my problems, especially if they didn't matter anymore. I already viewed school as a thing of my past.

After half an hour of small talk, we decided to get going. We stretched for five minutes, took one last gulp of water, and were on our way.

It was a hot day, so running took lots of energy. We had to stop for a break just ten miles in to hydrate. Fang was panting and sweating hard already, and I could feel my energy level dipping.

After a fifteen-minute break, we got back on our feet and headed towards Pasadena. On most days, I wasn't very tired after ten miles, but running in the heat today felt like running three times the distance we actually covered. I could sense Fang struggling to keep up with me as well. After we covered ten more miles, we decided to put down and wait for a better chance to run.

Fang and I lay down in the shade beneath a cluster of trees. Fang drank an entire bottle of water, and I drank half of one. We rested for two hours before Fang wanted to get moving again. Thankfully, it was cooler now, so running wasn't quite as exhausting. We ran the last twenty miles in four hours, which was still slow by our standards, but we made it to Pasadena by nine.

As we approached the city, its size stood out to me. I thought Riverside was a big city, but Pasadena was much bigger. Many of the buildings were older, like Cathedral City. I liked that better than, say, a futuristic one like Desert Center. I preferred Pasadena to even Los Angeles, with lights flashing twenty four hours a day. I wanted to go for the experience, not because I liked the city itself. It would be much harder to live there through constant noise. I still wasn't sure where I wanted to live my life. I couldn't stay on the run forever, but there were plenty of great places to live in Arizona and California. Phoenix, maybe? The city was big, but Fang told me he lived in one of the quieter outskirts of it. If I lived there, I could be near Fang and his friends. That would be fun.

It was Sunday, so Fang and I were forced to walk around the city in search of a grocery store that was still open. We spend an hour walking around a small section of the town to no avail. Everything was already closed. At eleven o' clock, Fang gave up and sat down on a bench. I sat next to him and leaned against his shoulder. I was really tired, and wanted to grab a bite and head out as soon as possible. But that didn't stop us from taking a few minutes to relax on the bench.

"How about a McDonalds? Those are open late," Fang suggested.

"I guess we have to. We could just get something small to hold ourselves over until tomorrow, when everything is open."

"Sure," Fang said, standing up. He held his hand out to help me up, but I ignored it and got up on my own. By now, Fang should've known that I wouldn't take his help for simple stuff like standing up. I made a _tsk _sound at him in mock disappointment. Of course, he ignored me.

We slowly walked around the block, in search of the nearest McDonalds. Thankfully, there was a joint just around the corner. Fang and I went inside and made our way to the counter. Since it was so late, there was no line. We quickly ordered a pair of cheeseburgers and a small fries and sat down. I undid the box and took the cheeseburger out.

I was a tough girl, but that didn't stop me from whimpering with pathetic delight as I sunk my teeth into the burger. After eating rice and beans for weeks, a cheeseburger tasted really good. I chomped my burger down in three bites, and Fang did the same. We split the fries, which were _insanely _good, by the way, and left the restaurant.

Unfortunately, while we were looking for a grocery store, we ended up several miles into town. It took us half an hour just to leave the city. It was close to midnight when we finally passed the gates.

"Tired?" Fang asked me.

"Yeah."

"I can help you."

"I'm fine. What, do you think I'm not capable of walking?"

Fang grinned. "Glad to see you're not completely asleep. Let's find a place to sleep." He walked around, looking for a place with trees. So far, they were our number-one source of protection. We walked for at least fifteen minutes before we finally found a dense cluster of trees on a hill overlooking a highway. It wasn't ideal, but we could cope with the noise. We'd both be able to fall asleep quickly since we were so tired.

Fang cleared out a spot for us right next to the wall separating the highway and the forest. I groggily helped him get rid of the branches. He lay down next to the wall and fell asleep within minutes. I took out my diary and wrote before falling asleep.

_Dear Diary, _

_I'd like to say I enjoyed today, but it was one of the hardest days since I ran away. I'd never had this much trouble running forty miles before. My legs feel like crap, and I'm as tired as hell right now. It's midnight and I'm still awake. For an early sleeper like me, midnight is really late. _

_I really should get to bed right now. My time of the month is tomorrow, and I don't want Fang to have to deal with me being tired and cranky as well. Thank goodness I don't suffer from PMS. Anyone would pity Fang for having to deal with a teenage girl alone, but a PMS-ing one? That's another story. _

_I'd write more, but I'm too tired now. Ciao for now, Diary._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

So, I was at the Linkin Park concert at Jiffy Lube Live last Wednesday. It was AMAZING. Chester and Mike sounded amazing, Joe was simply being awesome, and the others had some sweet solos as well. They played nearly all of their well-known songs, except for Breaking the Habit. If anyone doesn't listen to Linkin Park, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Question of the Chapter: What makes you continue to read this story? Is it because you like the plot? The style? Because you can't stand not knowing how it ends? Because you have time to kill? Because you need something to do while sharpening your weapons to kill me for not hurrying up and making Fang and Max get together? I'm very interested to know. :)

I'm running a bit short on ideas for the story. Suggestions are loved!


	20. Chapter 20

Reviewer of the Week:

**DntlessAnnabeth: **It's because I need something to keep me occupied while gathering an army of fangirls and cloning the right one in order to get master Yoda to lead them in an epic battle with you for putting the insane wait on fax

Random Quote of the Week: _"These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real, there's just so much that time cannot erase." from Evanescence's "My Immortal"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Fang! Wake up!" Max called. My eyes shot open. Max was standing above me, with her backpack on. I rolled over and looked at my watch, which read 6:30. What was her problem? I needed my sleep.

Max offered me a hand up, and I took it. I groggily got to my feet and picked up my backpack.

"Let's go! Now!" Max said, motioning for me to hurry up.

"What's the rush?"

"I'll tell you later. Just follow me!" She climbed down from our hill and started running. I ran after her, and we were at the town within ten minutes. We stopped at a fountain several hundred feet from a convenience store.

"Money?" Max asked me. I dug around in my backpack and found the wad of cash. I handed her a twenty. Before she could run off again, I grabbed her arm.

"Max. What's so urgent?"

"Tell you later. Stay right here! I'll be back in half an hour, tops." I watched as Max shook my arm off and ran into the convenience store, leaving me in the dust. A minute later, I decided, what the heck, and followed her into the store. By the time I got there, Max was gone.

Crap.

I looked through every aisle twice, but couldn't find Max. The bathrooms were in the back, but Max would've been out by now if she needed to use them. Plus, public bathrooms were free so Max wouldn't need my money. I left the store and walked back to the fountain. As I expected, Max was nowhere to be seen.

Max told me to wait for her back at the fountain, and I didn't listen. She was probably gone, looking for me, and I had no idea what was wrong with her. I mentally slapped myself for not making her tell me what was up before she ran off.

In addition, I was hungry. Really hungry. If I couldn't find Max within half an hour, I could just grab a bite and get something extra to give Max. I didn't want to eat without her, but it might've been necessary if I couldn't find her.

I walked east down the sidewalk, in search of Max. Since it was the morning of a work day, the streets were pretty empty. However, plenty of high school students occupied the town square since it was summer, so it took me a while to get around. I made my way through the crowd, looking for Max. She couldn't be here, right? If she was looking for me, she would've known that I didn't like crowds.

I pushed through the crowd and continued past the vast town square, heading down a narrow sidewalk by the town hall. I walked for another half hour until my hunger got the best of me. I turned a corner and walked into the nearest grocery store.

Within ten minutes, I was in and out, toting two cans of beans. I took out my knife, cut the top off one, and quickly ate it. After discarding the empty can, I put my knife and other can back into my backpack.

As I continued down the sidewalk, I couldn't help thinking that I was getting myself more and more lost rather than getting closer to finding Max.

* * *

_Where was Fang?_ Max wondered, as she searched the store again. She just had her time of the month, and needed tampons from the convenience store. After she bought them, Max immediately headed to the bathroom in the back of the store. She told Fang to wait by the fountain, but he wasn't there when Max was done. He wasn't in the store either. Hopefully he was just getting breakfast.

Max waited by the fountain for half an hour before deciding to set off to find Fang. She went west, looking for anywhere where Fang could possibly be.

Max wasn't one to panic, but she was freaking out on the inside. What would she do if she couldn't find Fang? It would take weeks to run back to Phoenix to his friends, and she didn't even know where in Phoenix they lived. The city was huge. She couldn't return home either, and she had no way of contacting anyone who knew Fang.

She reminded herself that panicking wasn't the way to go. She'd definitely find Fang within the hour, and they'd eat breakfast just like always and head out to L.A.

Little did Max know how wrong she was.

* * *

After I ate breakfast, I continued eastward. Max couldn't have possibly gone _that _far since she noticed me missing, so I'd probably find her soon if she went east. If she went any other direction, it would take me a long time to catch up to her. How was I supposed to find her in a city as populous as Pasadena, anyways?

Even with low odds of success, I was never going to give up. I would search for Max for a year, if that was what it took. She was my best friend, and I wouldn't rest in peace unless she was safe and happy. Call me paranoid, but I wanted to be by her side to protect her. She was capable of protecting herself, but teenage girls were more of a target alone than if they were with a boy. Nobody would have any reason to attack me, but Max? There were plenty of sickos in the world who would try to take advantage of a beautiful girl traveling on her own. Thank goodness I met her in the sewer on her first day away from home.

Good luck brought us together, and my stupidity tore us apart…hopefully for no longer than a few hours. If I knew I would find Max shortly, than I wouldn't have minded our situation. We both needed some time on our own, which we'd only been getting lately while the other was asleep. But _forever? _That was a different story.

After another hour of walking east, I decided to turn around. I hadn't seen Max yet, so either she went in a different direction or took a side street. She knew better than to take a side street, so I logically assumed she went in a different direction. That left three possibilities open: North, South, and West.

It took me two hours to get back to the fountain. By now, it was already noon and the sun was directly overhead. I went inside the Starbucks across from the convenience store to cool off for a minute and refill my water. I stayed inside for fifteen minutes before looking for Max again.

* * *

Max went west for two hours before giving up and turning around. She checked at the fountain to see if Fang was there, but he was not.

When Max arrived at the fountain, it was ten minutes past noon. She walked around in the convenience store for several minutes before leaving and checking the Starbucks across the road. Fang wasn't in either place.

Suddenly, a horrifying thought struck Max. Did Fang leave her on purpose? Did he spend the past two weeks messing with her only to leave her behind?

That couldn't have been possible. Max trusted him not to do that to her, and the raw emotion in his eyes showed Max that he did care about her. If Fang wanted to hurt her or ditch her, he could've already done it by now. Whatever the case, she needed to find Fang as soon as she could.

After waiting at the fountain for half an hour, just in case Fang came back, Max walked east in search of Fang.

* * *

After I left the Starbucks, I decided to travel west to look for Max. Walking for four hours in the heat was tiring and boring, but the prospect of finding Max made it all worth it. I walked ten miles west, but didn't see Max.

Even after one day without Max, I realized something: I needed Max. I probably needed her at least as much as she needed me. I hadn't realized how much her sarcastic comments, her sweet smile, and her unrivaled companionship meant to me until I had to do without her. Without Max, I felt lost, in a way. I wasn't sure how I managed eighteen plus years without her.

By the time I ate dinner and got back to the fountain, the sun was already setting. Max was nowhere to be seen, and I was exhausted. Not physically exhausted, but mentally. The thought of never seeing Max again crossed my mind a few too many times today, and I wasn't sure what I'd do without her. If it weren't for her, I might've committed suicide or returned home by now. Now that I knew her, I could never go back to living alone on the run.

As well as exhausted, I felt incredibly guilty. What if Max thought I abandoned her? It wasn't like we had cell phones to call each other with and make up. If Max was angry with me and ran away, it was very possible I'd never see her again. I wanted her to be happy, and nobody should be subjected to a miserable life alone. Besides me and now my other friends, Max didn't have anybody who was there for her when she needed help. I couldn't let Max down. If anything happened to her while we were separated, I would never forgive myself. And I didn't expect her to forgive me either.

I sat down by the fountain, praying for Max to return. I didn't know what to expect, but I hoped Max would return to the fountain and see me.

No such luck. I waited at the fountain for half an hour before deciding to leave the city and sleep. On my own. I trudged down the sidewalk, praying I hadn't just lost my best friend. I walked to the same spot as last night, hoping that Max would be there.

Of course, Max wasn't there. I lay down beside the hill and closed my eyes.

Just then, I realized how stupid I'd been. I shouldn't have gone looking for her at all in the first place. Wasn't the number-one rule when lost to stay put? If we both stayed by the fountain, we never would've lost each other. If only I waited for her outside the store rather than rashly going off to look for her, we never would've been separated.

Way to freaking go, Fang.

Tomorrow, as soon as I woke up, I was going to head to the fountain and sit there until Max came. I knew she would come. I just knew it.

With the hope that Max was going to be alright, I fell asleep before guilt could catch up to me again.

* * *

Exhausted, Max lay down beside the hill she slept on yesterday. Even after a day of no success, Max would never give up her search for Fang. If he was looking for her, he was probably still near Pasadena.

Max took out her diary to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_No. This can't be. I'm falling asleep in the grass, and Fang isn't by my side. I'm really alone for the first time in weeks. _

_The worst part is that it's all my fault. If I just told Fang why I was going before I ran off into the store, we'd probably still be together. Fang's probably going out of his mind worrying, and there's nothing I can do about it. _

_Tomorrow, I'm going to the fountain as soon as I wake up. I should've waited for him there rather than try to chase him down. If he wants to find me tomorrow, he will. I know it._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Question of the Chapter: On a scale of one to ten, how much do you want to kill me right now?

-J


	21. Chapter 21

We were at 299 reviews for the longest time...it was killing me. Thanks to lovebugboo999 for being #300!

Reviewers of the Week:

** i. am. divergent. tribute. glader: **No no... I won't kill you... That's the easy way out...  
I would give you to the school and tell them that you are willing to be an experiment, and to help save the world.  
Let's see how long you last before you die...  
Muahahah, take that

Thanks, iadtg. I could be a bird kid then. If that happened, I wouldn't have any time to write this anymore.

**DntlessAnnabeth: **I don't want to kill you. I want to slice your joints open just barely severing the central nerve - starting at you fingers and toes and working my way to shoulders and hips. I then will sew them all back together and have you lay like that writhing in such intense pain even the writhing kills you. Then I will take out the sutures and extra your nerves from the hollows of your bones but not detach them from your body. Instead I will tie them together and leave them hanging beside you. Finally you will die from bleeding out after the excruciating pain.

Interesting...but wouldn't that kill me?

Random Quote of the Week: _"As I burn another page, as I look the other way, I still try to find my place in the Diary of Jane" -Breaking Benjamin, in "The Diary of Jane"_

* * *

**Max's POV**

I woke up in the grass, miserable. My hair was full of leaves from carelessly lying down last night without looking under my head. That was the least of my concerns, though. I was hungry, cold, tired, and most importantly not with Fang.

It was still dark outside, and it most definitely did not feel like summer. Fang had his jacket with him, so I was shivering cold. I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering as I stood up and quickly stretched.

I walked to town, praying Fang would be at the fountain waiting for me. I was almost afraid to look as I turned the corner leading into the street with the convenience store. What if Fang wasn't at the fountain?

In a dauntless moment, I turned my head and looked forwards. The fountain stood a quarter of a mile in front of me, and I didn't see Fang anywhere.

My heart sank. If Fang was waiting for me, he'd probably be trying to get my attention. As much as I wished it were true, Fang probably wasn't sitting on the other side of the fountain trying to blend in.

Was Fang hurt? Did he get kidnapped? A swarm of possibilities ran through my head, none of them good. Without Fang, I had nowhere to go. I wouldn't last very long on my own, and I didn't have a home to return to. My foster parents' home wasn't an option anymore.

I slowly walked to the fountain, carefully looking to see if Fang was anywhere nearby. Even at such an early hour, I could tell Fang wasn't close.

I sat down on the fountain and stared down the street, wondering if my best friend was gone for good. But even as the agonizing seconds ticked by, I still felt a spark of hope inside me. When I wished on the shooting star two weeks ago, I wished for the strength to never lose hope. Even though it felt like years ago, my wish was the same right now. I couldn't lose hope of finding Fang. Without Fang, I was nothing. He'd given me all the hope I'd ever had in my lifetime.

I went to the grocery store and bought several cans of food with the last of my money, then walked back to the fountain and ate one for breakfast.

* * *

Fang woke up quickly and stared straight up. _Crap._ The sun was almost up, and he was still lying down. Fang quickly put his backpack on and jogged to town. Hopefully Max was waiting by the fountain.

* * *

I sat on the fountain's ledge and stared ahead, watching the sunrise. It was beautiful today, but I couldn't help think of how much more beautiful it would've been with Fang. I already missed his comforting touch. He was one of those people who made me feel safe when I was in the same room as him. Without Fang, I wasn't helpless, but knowing he was by my side was a huge confidence booster.

I took out my last can of food and cut it open. I took out my spoon and ate. Just then, I realized something. I was out of money, and I had no food left. I'd be forced to dumpster-dive or steal more unless I found Fang soon. That, I could deal with. Being alone? Not so much. Even Fang, got depressed after three weeks alone, and I had no doubt I wouldn't last that long.

And if Fang needed to, he always could've returned home. He was eighteen years old, so he could rent an apartment and get a job, but I had nowhere to return to. I knew one thing for sure, though. I was never going back to high school. I was only a rising junior, but I'd moved on from school. When I turned eighteen, though, I could get an apartment and a job just like Fang. Maybe we could even room together to save money. We'd spent the past (almost) three weeks together, and we got along great, so rooming only seemed logical. Whatever else, I knew my future would definitely have to include Fang.

I took Fang's presence for granted so much; the thought of not being with him hadn't crossed my mind for weeks. For the first time, I had to think about what my future would be without him.

"Max!" I heard a voice call behind me. I shot up and turned around. Fang was running towards me, about a hundred feet away. My eyes widened as I ran to meet him.

Looking back on it, I found the situation rather ironic. Right as I was thinking about what I'd do without Fang, _boom_, he appeared.

I tackled him in a bear hug and embraced him fiercely, taking in the fact that he was safe, with me. He clung to me tightly as well, missing me as much as I missed him. I was too relieved and happy to care about anything else at the moment. I wasn't aware of the people around us, no doubt puzzled at our sudden embrace in the middle of the street. But nothing mattered except the fact that Fang and I were reunited.

"God, Max. I was so worried," Fang whispered into my ear.

"Me, too," I said, letting go and slowly walking back to the fountain with him. I gripped his hand tightly, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Fang was actually here. "Don't you _dare _scare me like that, ever again."

Fang laughed, filling my ears with the sound they'd been longing for. "I won't."

"You better not. I was freaked out of my mind. I thought you were hurt."

"Same here. Where were you in the store?"

"Well," I said, blushing. "It was my, you know, time of the month. I had to hurry."

Fang looked down. "Crap. I'm stupid. I checked the store and didn't find you. I didn't think you'd take long in the bathroom if you needed it, so I left. I thought you were looking for me, so I went and looked for you."

"I looked for you too. Which way did you go?"

"East."

"That's why! I went west," I said.

"Really? I turned around and checked west after a few hours."

"Then how did we not see each other? Did you pass by the fountain?"

"Yeah, I actually took a short break at Starbucks here at noon."

"What?! I was here at the same time as you, and I checked Starbucks," I said.

"What time did you check?"

"It was maybe 12:15? I was in the convenience store just before it."

"You've gotta be joking…" Fang trailed off. "I left Starbucks at 12:10 to go west."

"Way to freaking go. Would it have killed you to wait five more minutes to spare me my sanity?"

"How was I supposed to know? I thought you were still looking for me."

"I was. You just didn't stay in one place. Isn't that, like, the number-one boy scout rule when you get lost?"

"I thought of that right when I settled down to sleep. After I went west a few hours and back, I grabbed a bite and went to sleep. Plus, it's not like you stayed still."

"I thought you were going to. I did the exact same thing, but I did west and then east. Where'd you sleep?"

"Same place as yesterday. I was hoping you were there, but I checked the area and you weren't."

"No you didn't. I slept there too."

"I actually next to the hill, opposite the highway."

"Are you serious?" I yelled, half-laughing and half-crying. "I slept on the side of the highway!"

"Why didn't you look for me? I was literally ten feet from you."

"I had no idea that you were there, and I was too tired. I lay down and conked out immediately."

"Without a diary entry?"

"No, I wrote one."

"About me, I assume?" Fang said.

"Well, what do you think? You _left_ me. You deserve to get ranted about."

"Whatever. By the way, you didn't get hurt or anything, right?"

"No, why?"

"Just checking. You sure?"

"Yeah. I can protect myself, by the way. I can't say I haven't missed you, though."

"I missed you too. I don't know what I would've done if you got kidnapped," Fang said.

"At least you have friends and a sister. I have absolutely nobody."

"You could always come to any of my friends' houses. You'll definitely be welcome there," Fang told me.

"I can't intrude on their lives like that. You've been their friend forever, so it's different."

Fang shrugged. "Maybe. But I think they'd enjoy getting to know you a little more."

"I'd like that, too. Has Ella talked to you about visiting again?"

"She's still trying to find time. It's almost a seven-hour drive, and both Ella and Iggy have jobs. Ella's working on her college application and still has some summer work. Iggy wants to spend as much time with Gazzy and Ella as possible before the college load hits him."

"That makes sense. Maybe I can live near them when I turn eighteen."

"You're not gonna attend junior and senior year?"

"Nah. I'll be eighteen, so education isn't legally required. I'll just become a department store sales manager or something. It'll be tough, but I'll be able to support myself."

"I'll probably get a job in the computer field. I might attend senior year, though. I don't have the money to go to college, but I need a high school degree at least. I'll just work part-time here and there to support myself."

"You think you can go to school and work at the same time?"

"I'll manage."

"You're crazy."

"I know. Don't worry about me, though. I'll be fine. I have a question for you, though."

"Ask away."

"If you could instantly turn eighteen and move into an apartment in Phoenix right now, would you?"

I paused. Would I? A calm, steady life sounded awfully good right now, but I actually enjoyed being on the run. There were no rules or standards to live up to. Fang was by my side, and I felt unstoppable in a way. Call me crazy, but living on the run sounded better right now.

"No."

Fang raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Nope. You answered the same way, so why not?"

"True. I just didn't expect anyone to be as weird as me. Is there a particular reason you like being on the run?"

"I just feel free. Nothing's in my way, and I control my own destiny. It may be a harder life, but I like it. I've actually been really happy since I left home. I made a friend for once in my life and don't have to worry about getting beaten up every second of the day. Besides, you know full well I'm just as weird as you."

"I do. That's why I like you so much, Max. It's not a coincidence that your first friend was me. I mean, you gotta start with the best."

"Well, it's no wonder you're on the run. That ego of yours could never fit through your front door."

"And I'm glad. I don't plan to visit that house again, unless it's to get Angel or my stuff. And I'd be able to shrink my ego enough to fit through the door then."

"That'll be tough, Fangy."

Fang rolled his eyes. "Definitely. I'm hungry. How does breakfast sound to you?"

"I actually already ate. I've been waiting here since before sunrise."

"Oh, ok. You can still get some food for the road, then," he said, standing up. We walked to the grocery store two blocks away and bought three days' worth of energy bars. We still had over two hundred bucks, so we could last at least another month before we needed to get more money. Fang and I walked back to the fountain where he ate breakfast and I checked his map. We were only ten miles from Los Angeles, and we definitely had time to get there today if we wanted to.

After he ate, Fang stood up. "You up for a run?" he asked me.

"Where to?"

"Los Angeles," he said, smiling.

"I'm in. You want to leave now?"

"Why not? Just don't leave my sight, okay?"

"Oh, shut up," I said, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Kidding," he said. Just before he started jogging, he looked me in the eye with a serious expression. "Seriously, though. I don't want to lose you again. There will be plenty of places to get lost in L.A., and we might not find each other so quickly next time."

"How about finding a spot outside the city to meet? It'd definitely be easier than trying to find each other in the city."

"I guess that'd work. I can't think of anything better right now."

"You'd never be able to. Let's go now."

* * *

Two hours later, we arrived at Los Angeles. We sat under a tree a quarter mile away from the city to decide what to do. Even from this distance, I could easily hear the noise generated by the gargantuan city.

"Why don't we wait it out and check out the city tomorrow? It's already past four, and we don't really have a plan. We can just take our time finding a place to sleep and talk about tomorrow," Fang suggested.

"Sure. Do you want to look around a little more on your laptop?"

Fang shook his head. "Not now. We can hit the park tomorrow and decide from there. I don't have directions, but we can check in a café tomorrow."

"Ok. By the way, there's a forest just over the rise. Any good?" I said, pointing to a large cluster of trees a mile from the city.

"That should work. Now that I think about it, sleeping in the park won't work."

"Why? The police probably won't check it."

"It's not that. We'll never get any sleep with all the noise."

"Oh, right."

"So are you ready?" Fang said.

"You bet!" I replied, running towards the forest. I left Fang in the dust within ten seconds and made it to the forest in five minutes without breaking a sweat. Fang arrived thirty seconds later, sweating. I handed him my bottle, and he drank several sips before handing it back to me.

"Thanks," he mumbled, sitting down. He leaned against a tree and set his backpack down. I sat across from him. We spent the afternoon and evening relaxing.

"Max, have you thought about having to deal with the police when you settle down?" Fang asked me.

"No," I answered honestly, "but what will they do to me? When I turn eighteen, I'll be allowed to do whatever, right?"

"You'll probably be fine, but the police might be on your case about running away at seventeen."

"If I need to, I can turn my parents in and use that as my excuse."

"If you're willing to do that, then you'll probably be fine for the most part. But just remember, you only have one set of parents."

"I know. I've already given up on them, though," I said.

"Are you sure? It's never too late to give them another try."

"Please, Fang. I made my decision, and I'm not going back. I don't regret anything."

"I gotcha. Do you know your real parents personally?" Fang asked me.

"Nope. Marian told me that they were a couple of college students, but I have no idea whether she was telling the truth or not."

"Dr. Martinez is a veterinarian, and she can take DNA samples. Maybe she could give you a lead to as who your real parents are."

"It's fine. They're probably a bunch of idiots anyways."

"Maybe they aren't, Max. Ella had a twin sister that had defective genes and almost died at birth. If it turned out she didn't die, and got separated from the Martinezes, then she would've had wonderful biological parents. Your parents could be good people. Don't give up," Fang said. Even though I knew it was impossible, I couldn't help but wish that Ella's twin sister was me. But given the fact that there were so many people in the world, that situation would be impossible.

"I'm not giving up, 'kay? It's just so hard to imagine after my experience with so-called parents."

"Nothing's impossible. After all, we did randomly meet in a sewer."

"You have a point. By the way, are you ready for dinner?"

"When am I not?"

I took out two bars from my backpack and tossed him one. We ate dinner quickly and put our wrappers back into our backpacks. After announcing he was tired, Fang lay down between two trees and fell asleep quickly.

I took out my diary and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_THANK GOD. I feel like I can breathe again. _

_Even though Fang is annoying sometimes, I don't know what I'd do without him. I can't deny I panicked at the thought of Fang leaving forever. I've lived 17 full years without a friend, but now that I have Fang, I can't lose him. I've learned how difficult living on the run could be, and I might be starving right now if it weren't for Fang. At home, at least I was in a city and had a place to sleep. Now? Not so much. _

_As much as I hate to admit it, I look up to Fang in a way. He's the one with the bright ideas, experience, and resources. I'm his socially awkward friend. _

_We're still best friends, though, and we need to stick together. As long as Fang doesn't screw up again, we'll be fine._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Question of the Chapter: How annoyed are you that the whole 'getting lost' thing did not produce Fax?

SOMETHING KINDA IMPORTANT: I've gone back and made some changes to the story. Most of them are minor, but here's a complete list of what's different, since I assume you wouldn't want to have to go back and read 50,000 words again:

1) Max and Fang ate a little more food in the beginning

2) Minor grammar/spelling edits

3) Max's foster mother is now Marian Janssen, the Director in the books.

4) Marian is a fancy businesswoman, not a veterinarian.

5) Ella's and Nudge's mom is now Dr. Martinez.

By the way: Max and Fang do go the bathroom every day. They're still human.

And I'm warning you right now: I thought of some majorly evil stuff for the future...:P

Fly on!

-J


	22. Chapter 22

Random Quote of the Week: _"Your tears don't fall, they crash around me, your conscience calls, the guilty to come home," -BFMV, in "Tears Don't Fall"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

By sunrise, the sheer noise of the city woke me up. Even an entire mile away, the noise permeated the air. I groaned and rolled over, trying to block out the noises. Much to my unsurprising dismay, I was unable to even come close to falling back asleep. Surrendering to the fact that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep, I sat up and leaned against a tree.

For the first time, I noticed was that my hair was really growing long. I normally kept it about neck-length, but my hair now grazed my shoulders. I made a mental note to cut it sometime soon. I knew my less-than-professional hair cutting skills would make me look like an idiot, but the shame was worth it. Right now, my long hair was hot and annoying. Having black hair didn't help either, since it absorbed more sunlight.

Max was still asleep, but I knew it was only a matter of time until the noise from the city woke her up. We weren't sleeping in a soundproof hotel room; we were between a couple of freaking trees that did absolutely nothing to help with the noise.

For the past few days, Max's parents had been big on my mind. I knew talking with Dr. Martinez could help Max get a good idea of what her parents were like, but she shut me out every time I brought it up. But even though all Max and I needed was each other, I knew it would mean the world to Max to know her parents. At the same time, though, not knowing was better than knowing her parents were bank robbers or hookers.

But even Max could agree the risk was worth it. I made multiple attempts to get leads on my parents throughout my youth, but never made any progress. Max made it clear that she never tried to locate her parents, but it wasn't too late. I didn't have many connections back at home, but Dr. Martinez used to be a medical doctor and knew lots of people in Phoenix. She was crucial if Max and I were to make any progress on finding her parents.

On a more casual note, last week has presented me with another problem in life. Taylor Swift released a new song called Shake it Off. As I feared, it immediately shot up the top songs charts, which meant that radio stations couldn't get enough of it. Around the city, most stores I passed had the radio on constantly set to stations that shamelessly played it on loop.

That brought me to my current problem. The song just wouldn't get out of my head. I tried to block it out, but I occasionally caught myself humming it. Thankfully I was pretty quiet, so Max hadn't caught me yet. But unless I did something about it, it was only a matter of time until Max caught me red-handed. For someone who was generally viewed as 'emo' and a 'tough guy', it would've been beyond embarrassing to be caught humming a Taylor Swift song.

"Got breakfast?" Max asked me. I turned around and saw Max kneeling behind me, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She'd gotten up so quickly, I hadn't even noticed.

"Yeah, one sec." I opened my backpack and rifled through the outermost pouch until I came across two cans of tuna. After tossing one to Max, I quickly downed my breakfast. When Max finished, we put our cans back into my backpack and stood up.

"Café first?" I suggested.

"Why? What do you need there?"

"Directions around the city. Unless you've been here before, we have no way to navigate L.A."

It wasn't a hundred feet into the city when I saw a Starbucks. It wasn't too crowded, so Max and I walked in and sat down. I set my backpack on the ground and placed my laptop on the table.

After I logged in, I typed in "best free tourist attractions in Los Angeles" into the Google search bar. I clicked the first link, and up came a hundred different things to do. I rifled through them, looking for something interesting. The first thing that caught my eye was Lake Hollywood Park. I already knew about it, but I wasn't sure how it was. Several pictures of the Hollywood sign and lake were enough to convince me that the park was worth visiting. The park wasn't anything too special, but it was spacious and its mellow atmosphere provided a nice complement to the bustling city.

"Fang?" Max asked, waving her hand in front of me.

My head shot up. "Yes?"

"I'm going to wash up a little and get changed. You should probably do the same."

"I'll go when you're done." Max picked up her backpack and walked off to the restroom. As soon as she left, I opened up my email and began composing a message to Dr. Martinez.

* * *

Dear Dr. Martinez,

How is it going back at home? I miss you and the girls already. Things have been going great with Max and I, but it's not the same without my old friends I'm so used to seeing every day.

If Ella, Nudge, and Angel are wondering, we're still 'just friends'.

So, on to the important part. Max doesn't know who her parents are. Her foster parents told her a little bit, but Max suspects it's inaccurate. I'm not sure how she feels about a possible reunion, but I'm going to do the best I can to help her.

What I'm asking you for is help on how we can get a lead on the search. Anything you know about how the adoption system works is helpful to us. And if you're willing to conduct a DNA test, and think it would be useful, Max and I would really appreciate it.

I'm sorry for taking up your time, but this is very important. But if you have more pressing matters at hand, please don't feel that my request is a necessity for you to carry out.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

I hit send, relieved I could drop my act as a businessman. Typing a formal letter made me feel old. I stretched my fingers, which were starting to get stiff from the typing. Several paragraphs normally wouldn't have been an issue, but my typing skills were badly out of practice.

Just as Max was getting back from the bathroom, I closed out of my email and went back to the tourist webpage.

"Found anything?" Max asked.

"Yeah, there's a cool park in the city. You can check it out. I'm going to change now," I said, standing up. I turned the laptop to Max and made my way to the bathroom. When I got inside, I set my backpack on the ground and took out a clean outfit. I undressed and began to wet some paper towels to clean myself up.

It was going well until I got to my legs. By now, the trash can was completely full. It was stuffed to the max with old paper towels plus mine. I wasn't fully clean, and I wasn't dry either, so I decided the toilet was the next best option. I spent another ten minutes cleaning myself up, and I just deposited the used paper towels in the toilet. When I finished, I flushed the toilet.

I stood back, waiting for the paper towels to neatly spiral down the toilet and out of sight. No such luck. Water was draining from the sides of the toilet bowl, but the toilet paper was stuck in place. Since water kept flowing, even though it wasn't going anywhere, it started to overflow the toilet.

"Crap!" I cried, rushing to grab more paper towels. But, hey, just my luck-they were all out. I watched in horror as water began to spread to the rest of the floor, covering the tiles. As fast as I could, I threw my clothes on, grabbed my bag, and yanked the door handle.

Was it just me, or was I just really unlucky today?

Anyways, I forgot that the bathroom had a bolt-locking door. I grabbed at the handle over and over again, not knowing what was going on. The water reached me, and immediately soaked my socks. I scrambled back to put my shoes on, and in the process, slipped and fell backwards. The cold water was immediately absorbed by my shirt, and I yelped and shot to my feet.

I should've known better than to get up quickly on a slippery floor, because I pitched forwards towards the toilet as soon as I got up, effectively soaking my shirt. Just then, the toilet went silent. The water shut off.

WOW, TIMING MUCH? Someone must really hate me.

Thankfully, the water on the floor wasn't deep. It was barely more than a thin film, except for the area near the toile, where I just _happened _to fall. I took off my clothes, wrung them out, stuck them in my backpack, and put on a new outfit. Thankfully, I didn't smell like toilet water. I was a little wet, and my hair (which was still not cut), was disheveled, but I should've been grateful to still be in one piece.

Before my day could get any worse, I left the bathroom and walked back to my table.

"What took you so long? And what happened to your hair?" Max asked, staring at me.

"You have no idea…" I muttered. I told her the story, and by the end Max was laughing so hard she was close to tears. I pretended to glare at her, knowing it would make her laugh more, and it worked like a charm. Every time Max looked back at me, she erupted in a new fit of laughter and clutched her sides.

Just then, I realized how stupid we looked. Everyone else in the Starbucks stopped what they were doing to stare at us. The manager glared at Max and walked over to us.

"You two troublemakers stay out of my store, okay? That's not a request," he said. He probably intended it to be harsh, but it was somewhat difficult to take seriously since he had a Mexican accent. No offense to Mexicans or anything, but they cannot give serious orders for the life of them.

"Got it, sir," Max replied, clearly feigning obedience. She put on a convincing show, but I could tell she was struggling to hold back laughter.

Seemingly satisfied, the manager walked back to the counter. I grabbed Max's hand and led her out of the store before we could cause any more physical or mental damage to the poor customers.

As soon as we were out of the store, Max let go of my hand and looked at me. "That's the most hilarious thing I've ever heard!" she said, bursting into laughter again.

Even though it was at my expense, I was glad Max was having a laugh. I liked seeing her happy, and she was definitely happy right now. If it meant making her happy, I'd gladly clog a public toilet and slip twice again. If only life were that easy.

"Do you wanna give another Starbucks a try? There are at least fifty in the city," Max said.

"Yeah." We walked for another quarter mile before coming across another Starbucks. I stepped through the door, determined not to piss anyone off here.

Max and I sat down at a table, just like we did at the other Starbucks. I took out my laptop, which was conveniently still powered on, and looked up Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were LA's primary baseball team, and they were the ones offering discounts. I looked at the ticket prices, and sure enough, grandstand tickets went for a dollar apiece tomorrow.

Max, who was looking over my shoulder, said, "Ooh, look at that. There's a postgame concert after the game that's free with a ticket." She pointed at the screen. I looked where Max was pointing, and sure enough, Avril Lavigne was performing after the game. Wait, wasn't she, like, five years ago?

"You up for it?" I asked Max.

"Of course! I love Avril!" she said, taking me by shock. Max didn't seem like an Avril Lavigne kind of girl. Well, maybe her second album, which was punk-based. Or maybe even her debut. That one had some rock songs. But regardless, Max seemed more like a heavy metal lover. The fact that she liked a sometimes-girly pop star astounded me.

And how did I know all this? I secretly loved Avril.

And yes, I did just shamelessly categorize people by what music they like. People dished it out to me all the time, so I felt the need to exact justice on the world by sending out musically judgmental vibes.

"I guess that's set. The game isn't until seven tomorrow, so we have from now until then to do something," I said.

"Have you found anything yet?"

"There's a big park with a good view of the Hollywood sign. It's already past noon, and it's a long walk, so I'm thinking we should go there Friday."

"Is there anything else that's closer?" Max asked.

"Nothing I've found. I'm going to cut my hair now, so you can check on my laptop," I said, picking up my backpack. I walked to the bathroom and immediately did an inspection. There were ample supplies of toilet paper and paper towels, the trash was relatively empty, the toilet looked fine, and nothing seemed too sketchy.

I stood in front of the sink and pulled out my knife. I grabbed my hair and slashed it horizontally, careful not to cut my neck. Several strands of hair fell to the sink. I moved my hand to a different part of my hair, and cut another lock of it off.

Ten minutes and numerous cuts later, my hair was a good few inches shorter. It covered part of my neck, but didn't come close to my shoulders. My hair was really messy, but that didn't matter. I knew it was going to turn out badly since I thought of the idea. I rinsed my hair down the sink and left the bathroom. Max's hand was on the mouse, and her eyes were fixed to the screen.

"I've improved, Fang," she said, looking at me. "I managed to check the weather!"

"Nice job!" I said, with faked enthusiasm. I offered her a high-five in jest, which she ignored.

"Shut up. Anyways, do you have a plan for today?"

"Actually, I was thinking about heading out of town and finding a good spot several miles away."

"Why? It's only noon."

"We need a sleeping spot farther from the city, so the noise doesn't wake us up early. Plus, everything has been going wrong for me today. I'm not testing fate any more than I need to."

Max stared at me for a second before shaking her head. "It's Los Angeles, for goodness' sake. Everything goes wrong here. You're not alone."

"Oh yeah? Then why hasn't our self-proclaimed hormonal rolling ball of awkwardness not messed anything up yet?"

Max narrowed her eyes at me. "Shut up. We're walking around the city."

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

Max smirked at me. "Nope. Now follow me."

"Do you have any idea where you're going?"

"Nope!"

"I'm not getting lost in L.A."

"Fine, then I'll go," Max said, with a smile. She had me cornered.

I groaned. "At least let me grab a map first."

Max shrugged. "Sure. Now let's get moving, Fangles. We don't have all day." Max turned around and left the Starbucks. She walked down the street, looking for a tourist help booth.

"Actually, we do," I muttered under my breath, once Max was out of earshot.

After Max got the map, we walked around Huntington Park and Downtown Los Angeles until sunset. Personally, I didn't find the city very interesting so far. It was just a bunch of shops and restaurants with no sense of order. The streets were dirty and crowded, and everything seemed overpriced. I didn't understand why Max wanted to do this so badly, but she seemed set on it. It wasn't worth arguing about, anyways. I didn't make a single klutzy move during the entire walk, so it didn't really matter.

We left the city and walked two miles before even trying to find a sleeping spot. Max found a cluster of trees within fifteen minutes and put down in the middle of it. I sat down beside her and set my backpack down.

As I pulled an energy bar out of my backpack, something hit me. There was no way Max and I could've survived this far on so little food and water. Marathon runners needed a gallon of water plus thousands of calories a day to run. Max and I lived on a liter a day and well under a thousand calories. I wasn't a bona fide expert on running, but I knew something was up. I felt beyond stupid for not realizing it until now.

But as far as I knew, my genes were perfectly normal. I never knew my parents, but there was no way they weren't human. I was completely human in every way, except for my odd ability to live on very little food. My body was probably just used to not getting much nourishment, and good at maximizing efficiency. I assumed Max was in the same situation, since she needed even less food than I did.

Even though we consumed unrealistically low amounts of food, Max and I both needed more sleep than most people. We were basically adults, and we still needed a good eight hours most nights. I've actually gotten nine hours most nights so far. But even though I spent many hours sleeping, I was a light sleeper and could wake instantly if I needed to. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was definitely something extremely weird about Max and I. The strangest part was that we both shared the same mutation, if you could call it that.

I tossed Max a bar, and we downed them quickly as usual. I stuffed the wrappers into my backpack and lay down. Within minutes, I was asleep.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Is Fang an emotionless brick wall in your eyes?

Thanks for reading and fly on!

-J


	23. Chapter 23

Random Quote of the Week: _"'Cause even if I cry a thousand tears tonight, will you come back to me? Even if I walk on the water, will you come out to see?" from_ "_Missing Me" by RJ Helton_

* * *

**Max's POV**

I woke up slowly, enjoying the peace and quiet while I could. As I experienced yesterday, Los Angeles was a loud city. Being the second-largest city in the States, it was full of people, street vendors, and flashing lights. Not to mention, it was really noisy, too. The white noise in L.A. was much worse than anything I'd ever heard before.

I sat up in the grass. Fang was sitting several feet from me, holding two energy bars. When he saw I was awake, he tossed me one which I completely messed. It hit me in the stomach and landed in the grass. I groggily picked it up and clumsily tore the wrapper off.

As I ate, Fang gave me a briefing for the day. "We're officially out of food, so we might have to run back to Pasadena for more. The Big Orange-"

"_What?_" I interrupted, chortling at the thought of walking into a city-sized orange packed with people.

"Nickname for L.A. Anyways, food is really expensive here, so we should to Pasadena to save money. We're not running in the city, so we can afford to carry a week's supply of food."

"What time is it? We need to be back in time for the baseball game."

"It's just ten. Two hours to Pasadena, one hour there, two hours back, and we're back in Los Angeles by three. One hour to get to the stadium, and we have a few hours to spare."

"Sounds good. Let's get moving," I said, standing up. I followed Fang to the clearing, and jogged with him to Pasadena.

* * *

Five hours later, we were sitting in a Los Angeles café with a week's supply of food.

"I'll cut my hair now," I told Fang. "Wait by the table." I stood up, grabbed my backpack, and walked to the bathroom.

I set my backpack on the ground and locked the door. After taking out my pocket knife, I turned to face the mirror. I grabbed a handful of my hair and hacked several inches off with my knife. It was surprisingly easy to cut. My hair was all shorter than shoulder-length within five minutes, and I managed not to cut myself.

"That fast?" Fang said incredulously as I walked back to the table.

"Yeah, because I'm not a complete idiot. Who gets drenched in toilet water during a haircut?"

"It wasn't the haircut," he protested. "I got drenched when I was cleaning up."

"That's even worse."

"No, it's not. At least it's just ironic. It's a completely honest mistake."

I snorted. "Stuffing a toilet with paper towels and flushing it is _just an honest mistake_?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, except for everything! I'll never rest in peace knowing I sleep next to someone who got drenched in toilet water."

"These are different clothes. Plus, you're welcome to sleep where you like. If I recall correctly, you're the one who needs my jacket and body warmth more."

"Shut up. I know I'm clumsy, but even I can't think of a method to break a finger in a sewer."

He shrugged. "On the other hand, I can keep quiet while I sleep. Ready to go?"

"Hell yeah." We stood up, grabbed our bags, and left the café.

We walked down the sidewalk towards Dodger Stadium. Fang told me it was several miles away, and that would take at least an hour to walk in Los Angeles.

"So, have you ever watched baseball?" Fang asked me as we were walking.

"I haven't watched professional baseball, but I saw some of my school's games."

"Do you know the rules?"

"A few."

"Well, the winner of the game is whichever team scores more runs."

"I _know_ that, Fang," I said, glaring at him. I mean, what sport wasn't based on scoring the most points? Well, golf. But that could hardly be considered a sport.

"Do you know how runs are scored?"

"Yeah. Players have to hit home runs, right?"

"Not quite. Home runs are the easiest way to score, but there are three bases, sort of like checkpoints. If the hitter doesn't hit it hard enough to be a home run, he can stop at a base. If the next hitter gets a hit too, the first guy can advance to another base. "

"Oh. Then how does the game end?"

"Each team gets three outs per inning. Every time a player gets three strikes, or gets thrown out at a base, that counts as one out."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"It'll come together when you see the game live."

"I guess so."

We walked in silence the rest of the way, taking in the city sights. Fang looked beyond bored, his impassive eyes trained forward. Some people just didn't have what it took to enjoy Los Angeles.

Suddenly, I felt a raindrop on my head. I looked up, and sure enough, more were on their way down.

"Oh, crap," Fang said. "Look at the clouds there. It's not letting up any time soon."

I groaned. "Café we go."

Fang nodded. "Guess so."

We jogged to the nearest Starbucks, which was conveniently half-empty, and took a seat there. We set our backpacks down and Fang took out his laptop.

Five minutes later, he told me, "The storm will be over by eleven or twelve at worst. But since the Giants, who the Dodgers are playing, are coming to town again pretty soon, they're rescheduling it for then. Avril's performing in San Diego the day before, so she has the day off to come."

"That sounds good. What day is it?"

"Sunday. They have night games the rest of the series. Day/night doubleheader on Sunday. They're thinking our game will be at eight."

"That'll work. In the meantime, have you found anything yet? I'm starting to become disappointed in you, Fang. You've spent, like, a million hours looking for stuff to do in L.A."

"Actually, I've found plenty to do. Care to listen?"

"Sure."

"Okay, so we have the baseball game and Lake Hollywood park, of course. The city is full of sports teams, but the tickets cost too much. There's a really neat science museum that's free, if you're up for that. It's a five-mile walk from here, though, so it'll be a whole-day thing. There's also a museum covering the intersection between media and society in Beverly Hills. That's ten miles away."

"They both sound cool. Can I see pictures?"

"Yeah, give me a minute," Fang said, shifting his gaze to his laptop. He typed and clicked around for several minutes. "Here they are," he said, turning his laptop to face me. He scooted his chair around the table so we both had a good view of the laptop.

When I saw the science museum's pictures, I relaxed. It wasn't some kind of all-white laboratory. From the pictures, it looked like a colorful, family-friendly place that I could walk through without getting a seizure. There were many hands-on exhibits and large enclosed areas. It wasn't my utopia or anything, but I would enjoy a day there.

The media museum was the better of the two, based on the pictures. It looked more organized, bigger, and more informative. I, for one, was curious to see how pop culture was doing after being away from it for several weeks. I was never a sucker for celebrities, but they were entertaining, albeit irritating, to read about.

"We can hit both, right?" I asked.

Fang nodded. "They're both free. We'll have to leave early for the Beverly Hills museum, though. Ten miles will take a few hours to cover in the Big Orange."

"That works. I need to use the bathroom now. Wait here."

Fang nodded and went back to his laptop. This was one of the first times I used a real bathroom. And let me tell you, going in the woods was less than pleasant. Especially since I was a girl.

On my way back from the bathroom, when Fang saw me, he hurriedly moved his mouse and clicked something. It could've been a coincidence, but I wasn't going to let him get away with it that easily.

"Hey, Fangy? Whatcha watching?"

Fang looked at me. "What?"

"I saw what quick click. Care to explain yourself?"

"I actually do. I was getting swarmed by ads, so I decided to cut my losses and exit out."

"Are you sure? Because I know boys need their…alone time with the computer."

Fang stared at me, not getting it. After a moment, his face reddened. He looked away from me, an incredulous expression on his face. "Wha-are you kidding me? Why would I do that in a Starbucks?"

"So you do, do it?"

"I didn't say that! But I'm more interested to know why you think I'd be watching stuff like that in a café."

"I don't know. Boys all have their preferences…" I trailed off, unable to keep my act going any longer. Our eyes met, and we both started laughing.

"You are such an idiot sometimes, Maxie," he said, shaking his head. These moments were what made life worth living. The whole point of living life was to be able to look back and remember laughter and fun times. Both of those were cruelly denied to me during my first seventeen years, but this was a whole new life, in a way.

"I know. So what's on the table for tomorrow?"

"Am I the leader now?" Fang said.

"Yes." Honestly, I always viewed him like a big brother. He was more decisive, steadier, and smarter than me. But I was the 'dynamic' in our not-so-dynamic duo. We made quite the team.

"If you want to go to the science museum, tomorrow works. It might rain for a few hours tomorrow, so Lake Hollywood Park probably isn't the best idea."

"Museum it is, then. Have you found a good route? What are the hours?"

"Yeah, there's a pretty direct path I drew on the map. We should be able to walk it in an hour or two. And it's open nine to five, like everything else in the world," Fang said.

"Thank goodness this café isn't like that."

"I was kidding. Anyways, I was thinking about something. We eat so little food, yet we can run forty miles a day. Don't marathon runners eat and drink tons?"

I shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Maybe it's just because we're used to eating small amounts of food."

Fang shook his head. "That might be part of it, but something's up. Nobody normal can run forty miles on two cans of food and one water bottle a day."

"I guess so," I said, unsure if he was right or not. Some people just needed less food and water, right?

"You don't seem very interested in your amazing abilities."

"It sounds cool and all, but we're probably just so used to living with less that our bodies became more efficient."

"Max, I know that's part of it. But according to a quick search I did, marathon runners need at least four thousand calories and several pints of water every day. We get about a thousand calories in two cans of beans and one to two pints of water. Don't you think that's a bit sketchy?" Fang said.

"I guess so."

Fang sighed. "Whatever. I'm still going to try to find more information, though. We could be…aliens, Max," he said, looking at me with a perfectly straight face.

I laughed. "Anything's possible, right?"

"No doubt. Any speaking of anything being possible, the weathermen were actually right this time. It's eleven and the rain has already passed." I looked outside, and sure enough, the skies were clear. Fang shut off his laptop and slid it back into his bag. We stood up and left the café.

Even though it was dark, the road back to our sleeping spot was illuminated enough for us to make out the path. We were back at our now wet tree cluster within fifteen minutes. Without hesitation, Fang lay down in the wet grass.

Fifteen minutes later, when he fell asleep, I took out my diary.

_Dear Diary,_

_Too bad the concert was cancelled. I'd never let Fang know, but I'm pretty much Avril's biggest fangirl. She's just so amazing. Thank goodness she's coming to the next game also. _

_Avril's always been my role model, in a way. When she was younger, she wasn't afraid to be a punk and go against the flow. It really showed in her music. I had three CD's growing up, and two of them were Avril's. _

_I wish I could be more like her, minus transforming into a girly pop star. Her music really helped me through the tough times. Just keep moving. Never give up. _

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

I just found out something. This story actually has a chance to make the front page of all MR fics of all time. I mean, how crazy and awesome is that?! We would need about 1300 reviews or so, and that's a lot but it's far from impossible.

Fly on!

-J


	24. Chapter 24

Random Quote of the Week: _"Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you," -Taylor Swift, from_ _"Enchanted"_

Review of the Week:

**Carli Runders: **Cookie Monster: ME WANT COOOOOOKKKIIIIEEESSS!

Me: ME WANT FFFFFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXXXXXXXXXX!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

L.A. was a loud and annoying city, but even I had to admit that it was pretty damn cool in its own right. I mean, anything that can cram two baseball teams, two basketball teams, a hockey team, over a hundred Starbucks' (wow, I sound like a white girl), and New York City's leftover pizazz into one county was pretty dang awesome.

The fact that Max liked walking the crowded, dirty, and noisy streets further proved to me that she was officially crazy. I guess she was right about being the weirder of us. The fact that she out-weirded (is that a word?) Iggy and the flock was just crazy. Two months ago, I never would've guessed a girl I didn't even know would've been the most weirdly awesome person I'd ever met. I'd always assumed Iggy would be the craziest person I'd ever know. Then again, how could I have predicted meeting someone in a sewer?

I was thinking about what to expect from the museum when I felt a raindrop on my head. I groaned mentally. Couldn't the weather show some mercy towards us? It rained twice in the last two days. I guessed it wasn't too bad, but it sucked when we had no shelter. Running away really helped me appreciate ordinary conveniences like bathrooms and shelter more. Going to the bathroom in the bushes every single day wasn't much fun.

"Max," I said, shaking her shoulders gently. "time to wake up." Max groaned and rolled out of my grasp before snapping awake and slowly sitting up.

"Wha-oh." Max stood up and zombie-walked after me to the city.

"Let's pick it up. It's two miles to the city." I started jogging, and after several moments, Max caught up to me and jogged next to me. It was just two miles, but it didn't help that we both had a dozen full cans of food in our backpacks. I could tell it was annoying Max as well by her frustrated grimaces. It didn't help that she just woke up, and I'd only been awake for ten minutes.

We made it to Los Angeles in twenty minutes and headed into the nearest Starbucks. It was still dark outside, so the story was pretty empty. It admittedly did feel pretty awesome to be one of the first customers at Starbucks, since it was a morning pit stop for most people.

Thankfully, the rain didn't pick up until well after we got inside, so we didn't get too drenched. Max and I sat down at a table in the corner of the café to wait out the rainstorm.

I suddenly remembered something. Yesterday, I got an email back from Dr. Martinez saying that she would be able to help Max. She needed a small blood sample, though. I opened up my email tab to reply.

* * *

Dear Dr. Martinez,

Thanks for the response.

I would love that. It would mean the world to Max to know her parents.

One problem, though-how will we get a blood sample to you? We're in Los Angeles right now, and that's a few hundred miles from Phoenix. I know you're busy, so it'll be tough to arrange for a trip here. I would suggest that Max and I run back, but that would take weeks and potentially put unnecessary strain on our leg muscles. It was hard enough to get here. Can you think of another solution?

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

To wait for her reply, I checked the weather report. The rain was supposed to let up by nine, so we would definitely get some quality time in the museum. If we could get to the museum by ten-thirty, we'd have nearly seven hours there, which was plenty for our purposes. Also, it wasn't like we couldn't go back another time.

Dr. Martinez replied five minutes later.

* * *

Dear Fang,

I would be happy to make time sometime. I'm extremely busy for the next few weeks, though, so it might be a while. And, after I get the blood, it would take at least a few days to properly examine it and run it through enough tests to extract quality information from it.

I have an idea, though: Iggy's father used to be a doctor. He has much more time on his hands than I do, and he'll be able to sample Max's DNA without a problem. He can send it back to me to examine in the lab. I assumed you knew was a doctor, even though his practice is farther away.

If you decide to seek his help, I can give you his email address. I cannot promise he will be able to help, but I can promise he will do his best to do anything in his power to help Max.

By the way, you can call me Valencia. Dr. Martinez makes me feel old, especially on email.

Love,

Valencia

P.S.: I will be taking Ella and Nudge camping for the next two days, so I cannot promise I will be able to help you quickly via email. I will do my best, but I just thought you should know.

* * *

Crap. How did I forget about Iggy's dad? Of course he could help me. He just retired, so he had tons of free time. He owned a private practice, and that was why Iggy's family was really rich. I was good friends with the entire Griffiths family, even though Iggy's parents and I weren't as close as the Martinezes and I were.

"Fang? Does it take this long to get the weather report?" Max asked me, her eyes bored. I didn't blame her, since she was stuck waiting for me while I typed emails.

"Not really. Listen, there's something I need to tell you, Max. Iggy's dad was a doctor, and he can help with your situation."

"What situation?"

"Your parents."

"What does being a doctor have to do with anything?"

"He can take a DNA sample from you. Analyze your genes. Maybe it can give you a lead on your parents."

Max frowned. "And you're just telling me this now? Why didn't you ask me first, Fang?" she spat, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm trying to help you! Don't you think this is a good idea?"

"No! How are they going to analyze my genes?"

"A blood test?" I said.

Max shook her head and glared at me. "I am not taking a blood test!"

"What?"

"You heard me. No blood tests for me."

I'd never seen Max get so defensive before, so I sensed something was wrong. I scanned her eyes, only to find anger, and…fear.

I took a deep breath. "Max, we need to-"

"We don't need to do anything! We're perfectly fine right now, don't you think?"

"So you don't want to know your parents?"

"I didn't say that. Just…no," Max said, still clearly upset. At least she was more controlled now.

A-ha. It clicked. Max was afraid of needles. That must've been a reason why she didn't like seeing laboratory-like Desert Center two weeks ago.

"Fine," I said, finally. I went back to my laptop and logged into my email account again. For any of you who are wondering, my password is rainbowsparklyponiesandunicorns99.

Just kidding. There's no way you're getting my password.

I opened a message composing box and started typing.

* * *

Dear Valencia,

I understand you might not be able to get back to me within a few days, but I'll just send this email now so I don't forget.

I asked Max what she thought about getting her blood drawn, but it turns out she's badly trypanophobic. I don't want her to get traumatized by something that's meant to help her.

By any chance, are there any other ways of gathering DNA? Would hair, fingernails, or urine work? Max wouldn't object to those. And maybe Iggy or Ella could do that.

Thanks again for your time.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

I logged out of my email. It was just past 7:30, so we had about an hour and a half in the café left.

"I'm going to the bathroom right now," I told Max. She nodded as I left the table.

I walked into the bathroom, careful not to repeat my mistakes from two days ago. I wasn't feeling too optimistic, though. It was five in the morning and I was at a Starbucks famous for bad luck. It didn't exactly strike me as a recipe for success.

Fortunately, I managed to use the bathroom without another debacle. But of course, fate wouldn't leave me alone. When I got back, Max was laughing. I looked over her shoulder, and she was staring at my iTunes account.

"Fang, have you been holding out on me all this time? Tik Tok is your most played song, Lady Gaga is your most played artist, and you have a playlist of Taylor Swift! Where's all the Fall Out Boy and MCR?"

"Shut up! Get off my iTunes!" I cried, panicking on the inside. Max wasn't supposed to know that I was a Gaga fan!

"Sure!" Max agreed, exiting out. But the damage was already done. Max knew about my music collection, so now I held no dignity in her eyes. Or mine either, for that matter.

"So," Max said, when I sat down, "care to explain your tastes in music?"

"What can I say? I have my preferences."

"But _Lady Gaga? _How can you like her music? I mean, Tik Tok is catchy and Taylor Swift is a good singer, but Lady Gaga is a hunk of trash!"

"Hey! Don't insult her. I like Gaga because she's not afraid to be different, even if it's weird."

"I feel ya. But that doesn't make it any less…hysterically crazy," Max said, laughing.

"Gaga means crazy, after all. Trust me, Max, it's only a matter of time until you tell me what music you like in your sleep."

"That's fine, because my taste in music is actually half-normal. I don't download five different versions of Bad Romance, including a karaoke one."

"Then what do you like?" I asked, ignoring what she was suggesting. I hoped she knew there was no way in hell I was singing Bad Romance in front of her. I'd never sing it in front of anyone, for that matter. I had trouble justifying buying it in the first place.

"The Script, Linkin Park, and OneRepublic are my favorite bands. Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson are my two favorite solo artists. See? I'm not as weird as you."

"I never took you as one to listen to screamo music," I said.

"They are not screamo! They're just nu metal and rock."

"Linkin Park has an eighteen-second scream in one of their songs."

"Seventeen, actually," Max defended.

"Whatever. But that still counts as screamo."

"No, it doesn't. It's only screamo if it doesn't have melody."

"And how does a seventeen-second scream have any melody whatsoever in it?" I countered.

"That part doesn't. But the rest of it does. Besides, you like Linkin Park too.

"I don't like that song, though. By the way, you owe me a song."

"What?"

"You have to sing something."

Max shook her head. "Not happening."

"Definitely happening."

"No. Unless you sing something else first."

"What? Why am I going first?"

"Fine, a duet then," Max decided.

"Deal," I said, offering my hand to shake. Max, being Max, ignored it. She looked out the window and stood up.

"The rain has stopped," Max said. I looked outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, and sure enough, it wasn't raining. I went back to the weather channel, and there was a ten percent chance of precipitation the rest of the day. Not bad odds. And according to the ten-day prediction, it wasn't supposed to rain at all in the near future. Yay for us.

I turned off my laptop and slid it back into my bag. After zipping it up and slinging it over my shoulder, I headed out of the café with Max.

As it turned out, the walk to the museum wasn't too bad. The streets weren't too crowded, since it was a workday, so Max and I made it to the science museum in just over an hour. It was only ten thirty, so we'd have pretty much the whole day here.

We entered the museum through the front entrance, which led to a large, cylindrical lobby. I personally thought it looked pretty cool, with the tall windows and completely glass elevator. It didn't really look futuristic, per se, but it looked pretty great. It reminded me of a fancy office building a little.

Max and I spent the day touring the museum. It was pretty much what I expected it to be; the exhibits were interesting and informative. We started with the marine life section, where we walked through hallways of exhibits of fish, turtles, and just about everything else associated with the sea. The aquarium-like structure sort of reminded me of the ob-something-ian hallway at the rock museum back in Pomona.

After exploring that section, Max and I journeyed to the birds hallway, where Max proceeded to compare us to birds. Max said I looked like a raven, with all the black. I had to agree with her. I told her she was just like a pelican, with her big mouth and all. Max hit me for that comment.

We spent the rest of the day walking around the museum, looking for exhibits that caught our eyes. Throughout the day, we ended up visiting nearly every major exhibit in the museum. I liked most of them, but I especially liked the sections about DNA. I spent a few hours reading up on the recombinant-DNA information provided at the exhibit. It was interesting, but it was also as creepy as hell. Splicing two creatures' genes together? That thought weirded me out a little.

I was in the process of imagining a fish-bird hybrid when the intercom announced there were thirty minutes until closing.

"We're leaving now," Max told me. I followed her out of the museum and out of the city. We reached the city limits by six and made it back to our sleeping spot within fifteen minutes. Max and I sat down in our cluster of trees and took out a can of food each. We took our time eating dinner and relaxing as we waited for the sun to set.

As soon as the sun went down, I lay down to sleep. I was tired from getting so little sleep last night, so I figured I'd have some catching up to do. Within ten minutes, I was asleep.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Any ideas for a male/female duet that Max and Fang can sing? :D I have several ideas right now, but I only like two so far. Suggestions are loved! They don't have to be from Fang's iTunes collection! And suggestions for songs in general, too, are appreciated!

About when they'll get together: I have some news. Have you read High School Ride? 2nd most popular MR story? Well, it took 60 chapters and 150000+ words for Max and Fang to get together. I promise they will get together faster than that in this story :P


	25. Chapter 25

Random Quote of the Week: _"Come on, come on, don't leave me like this, I though I had you figured out, can't breathe whenever you're gone, you're all I wanted," -Taylor Swift, from "Haunted"_

* * *

**Max's POV **

When you're in L.A., forget about anything 'relaxing'.

That was why I took my sweet time getting up this morning, in our cluster of tress two miles from the city. Fang probably wanted me to wake up so we could do whatever we were going to do, but I had other ideas. And nothing gets in the way of me when I want to sleep.

Fang was still lying down next to me, and didn't seem to be in any rush to wake up either. I snuggled closer to him and enjoyed his warmth. We lay in silent harmony for what seemed like hours as I forgot about the world around me. Being in a state of semi-consciousness and snuggling with Fang was practically a state of bliss. He was just so warm, so comforting, so…amazing.

I thought back to what Fang and I had done recently, and it didn't include nearly enough hanging out. Just relaxing and enjoying each other's presences without any distractions. As I learned, living without Fang was beyond difficult. I took his company for granted a little usually, and that wasn't right. Despite our differences, I loved being with him. I could've been surrounded by friends, but it wouldn't have been the same as being with Fang. Even if my hypothetical 'friends' were nice and cool people, they probably wouldn't have been able to connect with me on the level Fang could. Not that I was an expert on friends or anything, of course. I had no energy for a social life after running and dealing with my foster parents. Even if I wanted to have friends, though, I doubted anyone would accept me into their friends circle. Unless you were a stuttering, makeup-clad, prep, you were pretty much a loser or a loner. At least that was better than witnessing the end of humanity up-close and in-person. Actually, I possibly did that by living with my parents.

_My parents. _I remembered them for the first time today in a while, so I took it as a good sign that they were shrinking smaller and smaller in my rearview mirror. The thought of them didn't ignite unmanageable anger in me in the least, and I was well past any possibility of breaking down while talking about them. I still despised them, and I was obviously still upset with them, but my emotional ties with that period of my life were pretty much cut. Thank _freaking_ goodness.

I was never one for mushy emotions, but how could I just forget the pain of seventeen years of oppression? I was no socialite, but living in a bubble with only my parentswas torture. If I had someone to help me out, besides Total, my life would've been a lot easier. There was only so much a dog could do.

I wondered how Angel was doing. From what I'd heard, it seemed like she'd been faring better than ever. Housing a ten-year-old wasn't too imposing a favor to ask of the Martinezes given the circumstances. It helped that she was practically a little sister to Ella and Nudge. Maybe Fang could adopt her someday. And if I lived with Fang, I would've loved to have Angel as a younger sister slash daughter. Judging by confidence with which she acted, I assumed she had plenty of friends in school. Besides the Flock, that was.

Angel was nothing like what I was at ten. Angel was more of a happy-go-lucky, perky, prep girl. I was a recluse who was bullied like hell. I always did my best to look confident, since intimidation was the number-one key for me if I was to hold my own in a fight, but I was far from confident on the inside. I was never given any support, mentorship, or even company at home or school. My parents were out of the question, my classmates never gave me any positive attention, and the teachers simply didn't have time to be bothered with my 'juvenile issues'.

But I noticed that over the past few weeks with Fang, I felt more secure and sure of myself. Not just on the outside, but deep down as well. Knowing I had a best friend who was there for me made a world of difference. I was feeling a bit more like my name, Maximum.

Beside me, Fang shifted and slowly sat up. After I got over the initial cold rush, I got up and sat against a tree. Fang and I ate breakfast in silence until Fang spoke up.

"Listen, I just remembered something. We haven't stargazed in forever, and I was thinking about going for a night trip about twenty miles south."

"I'd like that. But why can't we do it here?" I asked.

"The light pollution in Los Angeles will mess with the stars too much. The view won't be perfect, even twenty miles away, but it'll be a lot better," Fang said.

"Oh, okay. Ready to go?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure. I think we're both a little rusty, though, so maybe we should jog a mile or so, stretch, then pick up the pace."

I put my backpack on and jogged out to the clearing. "Catch up, slowpoke!" I called behind me. Fang's laughter filled my ears as I started on my way south.

We jogged for ten minutes before stopping to stretch. After a few quick leg stretches, we were on our way.

Even though we were warmed up and everything, Fang didn't want to risk muscle damage, so we took it easy on the jog south. We 'ran' painfully slowly, but I would've definitely preferred a safe, boring run than a risky and exciting one. We were pretty far from Phoenix, so it would've been much more difficult to get help from the Flock.

Four hours later, we decided to set down in a mostly-empty grassy patch several miles from some town. The clearing was completely, well, clear, except for some wild grass and bushes on the side farthest from the road.

It was still just past noon, so Fang and I had at least eight hours until the stars showed up. To pass the time, Fang suggested his form of entertainment.

"Do you do push-ups?" Fang asked me.

"No, but I bet I'm better than you," I challenged, knowing I'd probably lose. Fang was pretty damn toned. It was actually kinda attractive. More like _really _attractive. I was anything but above teenage girl hormones, even if it meant thinking my best friend was hot. I did my best to censor those thoughts, since they were _so _weird, but sometimes I couldn't help it. It wasn't Fang's fault he was so goddamn beautiful.

Fang raised his eyebrows. "It's on," he said, snapping me back to attention.

He got into plank position and descended. "One, two, three…" he began. He didn't let up until several minutes later. "…ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred." Fang collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.

"My turn," I announced, climbing into position. I lowered my body down…and promptly crashed to the ground.

Fang chuckled. "Not so much better than me, Maxie?"

"Shut up. I warned you."

"Still, I expected more from you."

"What are you, my gym trainer?" I said.

"You're my running trainer, so we're even."

"Except that you can actually run. I can't even do one push-up."

"I'm sure you could," Fang said. "If you just practice a little."

I waved my hand dismissively. "It's fine. I'll never need it."

"What about in a fight?" Fang asked.

"Oh, you wanna try me?"

"I'm fine."

"That's what I thought," I said smirking. I was no martial arts master, but I could've taken him easily in a fight and we both knew it. Not that I would've ever attacked Fang, but I was quicker, nimbler, and more experienced than him. He was physically stronger, but I could've wiped him out with a few quick roundhouse kicks.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day? Preferably something relaxing, since I guess we're going back to the Big Orange tomorrow," Fang said.

"I dunno. Actually, do you have any videos of the Flock performing on your laptop?"

"Yeah."

"Let's see 'em." Fang took out his laptop, turned it on, and clicked around. He turned the laptop to me and pressed play on a video.

The flock was in a semicircle-ish form in the middle of a basement. Ella and Iggy were singing Just Dance by Lady Gaga, and everyone else was playing an instrument. Ella was actually pretty good at singing, although her voice was nothing like Gaga's. I saw how it would've worked well with Fang's voice.

Iggy, on the other hand, could not sing for the life of him. His Colby O' Donis impression sounded eerily like a mouse's last squeaks. Everyone was laughing, including Iggy himself, during the song's hook.

Nudge and Iggy were playing guitars. Since the song didn't have any keyboard, Nudge was playing a simple guitar part in the song's background. Iggy was tackling the difficult parts, including an interesting improvised guitar solo.

"Why aren't you singing?" I asked Fang.

He shrugged. "Iggy wanted to try, just for fun."

We watched the rest of the video, and a bunch of other ones. Their best performance was one of Everytime by Britney Spears. Ella sounded amazing, and Nudge's backup vocals and piano accompaniment were great as well.

While I listened to Ella sing, I couldn't help but think that the way she formed her words and sang kind of reminded me of my own singing. I never told Fang I was a major member of my school's chorus, but he still believed I sang decently. He'd be in for quite a surprise when we did our duet; I was actually pretty amazing, if I said so myself. Fang was still better than me, though. He was practically a music god. We agreed to do our duet tomorrow morning.

By the time we finished Fang's video collections, it was basically sundown. The moon was out, as well as several stars here and there. After we ate dinner, Fang and I lay down in the grass next to each other to wait for more stars to show themselves.

Consciously or not, Fang wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I scooted closer to him so he didn't have to reach as far. We lay in silent stillness, taking in each other's warmth and energy. It was kind of like this morning, except it was a hundred times better now since I was fully conscious to appreciate it.

Fang didn't need words to tell me that I was safe with him, and that everything would always turn out okay in the end. Not that we weren't okay right now, because I was more than okay in Fang's arms, but a runaway life had its risks and downfalls. A runaway life with Fang, however, was a different story. It still wasn't perfect, but it had plenty of upsides. Perhaps the best upside was that we never had to bow or defer to anyone.

"They're out," Fang told me. "They're beautiful tonight."

I looked up at the vast sky, and sure enough, it was a sky full of stars. Fang was right. The view of the sky was wonderful when we weren't in Los Angeles. I didn't recognize many constellations, but I did manage to pick out the Big Dipper. That was about it.

"Do you see the Summer Triangle?" Fang asked me.

"Huh?" I said. Intelligent, aren't I? I never said I was good at spotting constellations.

"It's made of three bright stars that are only visible to us during the summer. It's-"

"Wait, hold on. They hide themselves during the other seasons?"

"Of course not, idiot. The Earth's position in relation to them either provides a lane for us to see stars, or not."

"How does the Earth say which stars we can see?"

"Do you really want a lesson on astronomy?"

"No," I said.

"Then shut up. As I was saying, the Summer Triangle is made of Vega, Altair, and Deneb. If you look at the second-tallest pine tree and trace an imaginary line straight up, you'll find the Triangle. It's pretty much the three brightest stars in that direction." I followed his instructions, and didn't see anything bright.

"I don't see it."

"Really? Then try using your finger to trace a line up from the pine tree to straight up. You'll find the triangle just to the left of the imaginary line." There we go. I located the triangle quickly after he narrowed down his directions.

"I see it."

"Good. Now, those stars are the bases of three different constellations. Deneb is associated with Cygnus the Swan. It's the top-left star, and Cygnus is shaped kind of like a cross with wider arms. Imagine a bird was set on top of the stars, with its head and tail as the ends lengthwise, and its wingtips as the ends of the width."

"What? I don't see-wait, that's pretty cool!" I remarked, seeing the Swan. I pictured myself with long, beige wings being engraved forever in the night sky via stars. A rush of joy spread through my veins as I imagined soaring through the sky, the wind rushing by me, my hair cascading through the air. I had to try skydiving sometime. It sounded like fun.

Fang pointed out some other constellations to me as the night went on. Eventually, Fang decided to fall asleep-without warning me. With his arm still around me, he drifted off.

Careful not to disturb Fang, I pulled out my diary and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_Today was a pretty damn awesome day. Snuggling with Fang twice. How can a girl get any luckier? That's right, they don't. To all girls in the world who wish they had amazing, cute, and sweet guy best friends: sucks for you, since Fang is here with me. Of everyone I could've met in a sewer, I had the fortune to meet an amazing boy. _

_Maybe the last almost-month has been retribution for my first seventeen years of life. It's so hard to believe I met Fang just three and a half weeks ago. It feels like it's been forever. Like, really forever. The details of my home life are getting hazy, thankfully. I'm surprised I pushed my parents so far out of my mind so quickly. Not that I'm complaining, because it's a given that Fang makes better company than Marian and Jeb. It's really no contest where I'd rather be: cooped up with a couple of jerks, or free in the world with an amazing best friend. What would you choose, Diary? _

_Oh, that's right. All you do is sit in my backpack all day and do nothing. But thanks for being someone to vent to. _

_Okay, this is _really _weird. Signing off now. _

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Question of the Chapter: If you had to summarize this story in three words, which three words would you choose?

For chapter 25, a few thank you's:

First off, I'd like to thank **iluviggyhesthebest.** She's been around since chapter one, and has been offering me moral support the whole time. I could write a speech about her, but I think you should ask her for that. Thanks, Kate!

Thank you to **BiteMeBro552 **for being the one person to faithfully review every chapter. It means a lot to me.

Thanks to **DntlessAnnabeth **for your hilariously violent reviews. They've been giving me nightmares every night...jk, but thanks anyways.

Thank you to **bartlettpears **for your humorous and very constructive reviews. Out of everyone associated with this story, you've helped me learn the most.

Thanks to **virls101, FandomsUnite98, EosAurora, **and** Don't Insult Oliver's Cupcakes **for helping this story get going in the early stages.

Thanks to **DauntlessPokemonRide, i am divergent tribute glader, maximumgirl23306, FAXalltheway, Carli Runders, alyssa the lucky bird girl, **and** free2rap **for being some of my most consistent and inspring reviewers. I'd name more of you guys if I could, but I don't want to make this already annoyingly long A/N too much longer. (:

And thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read this story. I would list every single reviewer here if I could!

Thanks for reading and fly on!

-J


	26. Chapter 26

Random Quote of the Week: _"I believe in you, I'll give up everything just to find you," -Evanescence, from "Taking Over Me"_

* * *

**Fang's POV **

Despite my intentions of sleeping n, Max wanted to wake up early so we could get back to Los Angeles quicker. It seemed like she always had an opinion nowadays.

We ate breakfast and took one last sip of water. We were a bit low on water, so that was just one more reason we needed to get back to Los Angeles sooner rather than later. But before we went, Max insisted that we sing our duet on the spot. Knowing I couldn't say no for many reasons, I went with it without complaining. We quickly conducted our vocal warm-ups as I took out my laptop.

"Do you have Just Give Me a Reason?" Max asked me.

"Nah. I don't listen to Pink."

"What, is she too badass for you?"

"Something like that. What about Broken by Seether featuring Amy Lee?" I suggested. I personally adored that song through and through, with its amazing lyrics, catchy tune, and wonderfully precise guitar parts.

Max shrugged. "Why not?"

I took out my laptop and opened up the karaoke version of Broken.

"Ready?" I asked Max.

"Yup!"

I pressed play, sending the soothing guitar intro into the air. Max closed her eyes and smiled. As the intro came to a close, I took a deep breath and began to sing.

I slowly sang the first verse, deliberately hitting every note.

Max was beaming at me and gently holding my hand, as I gently swayed my head to the music. I took a breath and softly sang the song's beautiful chorus.

I moved my hand around Max's waist, like how the professional slow dancers on TV did it. Why was I doing this, anyways? I wasn't sure. But it felt natural, and I was long since caught up in the music. But my hypnotism was nothing compared to what I felt like when Max sang her verse.

Max's voice was literally angelic. There was no other word to describe its beauty. It was so soft, so warming, while slightly haunting at the same time. Max was smiling up at me as she sang, giving me a warm feeling that started with my heart but spread throughout my body instantly. We both took deep breaths to prepare for the duet choruses.

We slow danced as we sang the chorus, with me spinning Max around several times. The final spin and release of hands capped off the most magical four minutes of my life.

"That was-" Max began, as she not-so-gracefully stepped away. She tripped over a root and stumbled backwards. Guess her moment of dignity was over.

"-freaking amazing!" I finished. We sat in the grass and took deep breaths to recover the breath we lost while singing. We couldn't run twenty miles directly after singing a song. "Where'd you learn to sing?" I asked Max, after we got situated after our performance (with nobody watching, of course).

"I did some singing on the side. I'm not sure how I knew Broken, actually. I knew mostly Kelly Clarkson stuff, with some Avril Lavigne."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why did you deny it in the first place?"

Max shrugged. "I wasn't sure what you'd think of it."

"I'm sure now. You're an awesome singer. Why would you doubt yourself?"

"I guess after hearing you sing Castle of Glass, I thought you'd think my voice sucks or something."

"No way. I thought the same thing after you sang the second verse."

"You really think so?"

"Hell yeah. The flock will be the judge of that someday."

"It's on."

"It is," I said, standing up. "Ready to hit the road?"

* * *

Five hours later, Max and I were back at our sleeping spot outside of Los Angeles. Both of us momentarily forgot where it was, so we had to look around a bit, but after seeing some landmarks, we made it back relatively quickly.

"Since we have the luxury of civilization," Max said, "care to spend a little time washing up?"

"Sure," I said, "Let's wait a little, though, so we don't sweat too much again after washing up."

"Okay. Got an idea for what to do until then?"

"How about we go back to the café and just chillax there? It's air-conditioned, and it has Wi-Fi."

"You lived for two weeks without either," Max pointed out, "but let's go."

We jogged lightly into the city and went to the second Starbucks we saw, since the owner of the first one probably would've recognized us and kicked us out again. Or even worse, he might've recognized Max and turned her in to the police.

I pulled out my laptop and turned it on. After logging on to my account, I opened my email account and was greeted by a flurry of random emails. I sifted through them, looking to see if anything was important. Unfortunately, most of them were advertisements. I scrolled down, just in case anything important was in my inbox. Near the bottom, I saw an email from Dr. Martinez, so I clicked on it.

* * *

Dear Fang,

Although blood tests are by far the ideal method of genetic analysis, there are several alternatives. Hair is one good option, although Mr. Griffiths would need to be exceedingly careful while pulling Max's hair so as to keep the follicle intact.

Saliva also works, but I think that would be best done in a doctor's office so the DNA is unblemished. Fingernails and toenails also may provide assistance, but it is unlikely that Mr. Griffiths or I could draw valuable information from them.

Mr. Griffiths's email is below, and I wish you the best of luck in finding Max's parents. I am happy to help in any way I can. If you need me to drive out to Los Angeles, I can make time sometime.

Love,

Valencia

* * *

I responded promptly.

* * *

Dear Valencia,

That sounds wonderful. I'm sure Max would welcome those proposals with far more enthusiasm than a blood test.

I will definitely ask Mr. Griffiths for assistance; hopefully he doesn't mind driving out here.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

After I emailed Dr. Martinez, for probably the last time in a while, Max decided to go ahead and wash up. It would've been difficult to sweat in an air-conditioned Starbucks, and it had been a good hour since our run.

I composed a new message, this time to Mr. Griffiths.

* * *

Dear Mr. Griffiths,

How has it been back at home? I hope Iggy, Gazzy, and the girls are doing great. I miss all of you already.

Before you get worried, I'm doing wonderfully right now. As someone probably told you, I met a girl named Max and we're traveling together now. In case anyone's wondering, we're still just friends.

So, cutting to the chase: I'm not sure if Dr. Martinez informed you, but Max and I are trying to find her parents. Dr. M and I have agreed that a DNA sample is the best course of action to take.

Unfortunately, Max is trypanophobic and does not take kindly to getting injected by a needle. Valencia made a few suggestions, such as saliva tests, fingernails, and hair. Since you were a doctor not five years ago, I reckon you still remember your techniques.

I am fully aware this is a major favor to ask for, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could consider my request. Max and I are in Los Angeles right now, a good few hundred miles from Phoenix. It would be a full-day endeavor if you chose to take part in it; I thought I'd just warn you in case you didn't realize what you were potentially getting yourself into.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

After I sent the email, I looked up to see Max walking back from the bathroom. When I saw her, I could've sworn my heart started beating faster. She was naturally a pretty girl, but she was downright beautiful in her loose white top and jeans. Sure, it was a normal outfit, but it looked amazing on Max.

I got up to get washed up as Max sat back down. Looking back on it, I should've logged out of my account. But no, because I was so caught up in Max and her new outfit (was I really that pathetic? It sure felt like it.) I failed to remember my past mistake.

Anyways, after I cleaned up and changed, I walked back to the table to be greeted by Max snooping around on my iTunes once again. Surprise, surprise.

"Fang, you're such a womanizer. You have Do What U Want by Lady Gaga and Womanizer by Britney Spears on heavy rotation." Wait, really? I didn't even know my playlists that well.

"How is Do What U Want womanizing?" I asked, stupidly.

Max rolled her eyes. "I don't think I need to answer that. Anyways, I just thought of something when I was changing. I'm out of spare outfits now, and you're probably running low, too. A quick cycle at a laundromat shouldn't be more than a few bucks, and it would suck to live on dirty clothes forever. We should probably go sooner than later in case I trip and send us both crashing into a puddle of mud, thus ruining our last clean outfit."

"We better go now, then. Hold on, though; let me check my email one more time."

I opened my email account again, and was greeted by two emails: one from Mr. Griffiths and one from Ella. Since it was a higher priority, I opened Mr. Griffiths' email first.

* * *

Dear Fang,

Things have been going great around here! Everyone misses you, but hey, it was your call. Don't regret it. It's not like you're dead or anything. I heard the kids had a nice time visiting you. Although, why didn't you guys get a motel room? I know Iggy has enough money. If he cheaps out again, don't hesitate to give him a piece of your mind, Fang. He is my son, and I love him a lot, but he really should've known better than to shaft you and Max.

By the way-how are things going between you and Max? I do realize you just told me you were 'just friends', but Ella tells me otherwise. Since it's kind of my obligation, I trust her opinion more. Especially when it comes to romance. Sorry, but you have no chance against Ella, Fang.

Please don't call me Mister Griffiths anymore. It makes me sound old. I am old, but I like to think I'm younger. James will do.

Peace out,

James

* * *

I rubbed my eyes, mentally exhausted from reading his speech. I almost forgot Mr. Griffiths was a shameless, immature, and very unprofessional socialite whenever he was out of his office (which was always, now). He literally answered everything _but _my important question.

I responded to his excuse for an email, sincerely hoping he would give me a straight answer this time.

* * *

Dear James,

That all sounds wonderful to me.

But I have an important request of you: I'm not sure if Dr. Martinez informed you, but Max and I are trying to find her parents. Dr. M and I have agreed that a DNA sample is the best course of action to take.

Unfortunately, Max is trypanophobic and does not take kindly to getting injected by a needle. Valencia made a few suggestions, such as saliva tests, fingernails, and hair. Since you were a doctor not five years ago, I reckon you still remember your techniques.

I am fully aware this is a major favor to ask for, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could consider my request. Max and I are in Los Angeles right now, a good few hundred miles from Phoenix. It would be a full-day endeavor if you chose to take part in it; I thought I'd just warn you in case you didn't realize what you were potentially getting yourself into.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

I copied and pasted the last half of the email. That was how lazy I was. I tabbed over to Ella's email, hoping she would have something interesting to say.

* * *

Dear Fang,

Hey! I know it's just been two weeks since I last saw you, but it feels like soooo much longer, since we, like, saw each other every day back in the day.

How are you doing? I hope you're doing awesome, and Max too. I really wanna visit you guys again, but unless you've come closer since last time, it'll probably take too long. I want a refund on growing up! Even summer is busy now.

Mom told me about you guys trying to find Max's parents. I think that's pretty dang awesome. I wish Max was my sister, even though she probably isn't. Based on what I've heard, her luck isn't good enough to have a sister like me.

Anyways, I'm just checking up on you guys. J Have fun at wherever-you-are!

Love,

Ella

* * *

Since I wasn't in any rush, I decided, why the hell not reply?

* * *

Dear Ella,

I miss you guys too. Max has been awesome though. Turns out she's an amazing singer; even better than I am. No offense, but she's better than you too.

We're doing well. Minor issues, but we made it to Los Angeles. We did have a pretty damn freaky moment though. We lost each other for a day, and I didn't find Max until the next day.

Thank goodness I'm not going to go to college, though. Senior year might be hard to manage as well. I'm not sure if I want to give up my life with Max.

I hope you two are twins, too. That would be ironically amazing.

Thank you! I hope you and Iggy have a good time. Not in bed, though.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

I looked over at Max, who was resting her head on the table.

"Tired?" I asked her. She looked up and nodded. It was only five in the afternoon, but I was actually tired as well. We ran for the first time in a while, but the slow dance and song probably made me sweat more than the run.

After I packed up my laptop, we left the café and walked back to our sleeping spot. After eating dinner and taking a casual walk, Max and I went to bed. We were both asleep before eight.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Where do you want Fang and Max to go after Los Angeles? They will be at LA for a while, but they can't stay forever.

Note about the song in the chapter: Watch the video for it! Trust me, you won't regret it. Amazing song, amazing video. Amy Lee's voice is beyond amazing. I hate to say it, but Fang's and Max's cannot compare. If anyone has heard anything by Evanescence, you'll know. (:

Not to mention, she has wings in the video. How cool is that?! She looks kinda like a female version of Fang, just with smaller wings.

A few more thank you's:

Thanks to **LivvyB **for all of your awesome reviews!

Thanks to **Carli Runders **for the inspiring speech in response to mine! I'm so glad you could relate, Carli, to this story. I think everything's just about not giving up, and that nothing's lost or gone. I didn't know you were reading this all the way back on May 7th! I think you're the only person who's been reading for that long! Actually, I started writing on May 6, so...

By the way, Carli, Leo is yours for the taking. Annabeth and Max won't be happy if you steal their bfs, but nobody (besides Calypso, some nymphs, and a mob of jealous fangirls) will be angry about Leo.

One more thing: I exchanged some words with **BiteMeBro552**, and it was decided that she should be mentioned for not just reviewing every chapter, but for listening and adding to our rants about Justin Bieber! JB will be Canadian forever, BMB.


	27. Chapter 27

Random Quote of the Week: _"It rains when you're here, it rains when you're gone, 'cause I was there when you said forever and always," -Taylor Swift, in "Forever and Always"_

* * *

**Max's POV**

After a tiring day yesterday, I shamelessly slept in once again. Ironically, I'd been spending more time sleeping since we arrived in the sleepless city of Los Angeles. We didn't really have a plan for the day, as usual, so neither of us had any incentive to get up quickly.

Eventually, I grew bored lying down. Fang was already awake, so I was cold as well. I sat down next to him and took his jacket off. With his help, Fang's jacket was wrapped around me within a few seconds. Even such a simple task like this one was often a struggle for me after just waking up. I wasn't horrifically tired, but doing anything in the morning took forever.

We took our time eating breakfast, which happened to be a can of beans for the ump-teenth day in a row. But still, it was better than living on not-so-neatly-preserved leftovers back at home.

It wasn't free, though. Fang and I had to rob a cashier in a small town to survive. Too bad we didn't have anything of value to sell, so we wouldn't have to steal anymore.

Just then, I thought of something: Fang's laptop. It was worth at least a few hundred bucks. If we sold it, the money could provide for us for at least a few weeks.

"Fang?" I asked. "I was just thinking about something. Even though we don't use much money, we're bound to have to steal again unless we put down really soon."

"Yeah."

"I was thinking that maybe we could sell your laptop?"

Fang looked at me for a moment and shrugged. "I guess so. We should probably wait until we're lower on funds, so I can keep talking to Dr. Martinez about finding your parents."

"Wait, you're still trying?"

"Yeah. And I won't stop trying, either."

"All right. But are you okay with selling the laptop?"

"Of course," Fang answered without hesitation, "unless a laptop means more to you than food and morals."

"Good. Just out of curiosity, does it hold any sentimental value to you?" I asked Fang.

"A little bit. It was pretty much all I had in terms of belongings. I never thought of selling it before running away, being the idiot I was. If I knew that the Martinezes would've done such a good job taking care of Angel, I would've taken all my money and not left any behind with her.

"That definitely would've been better than stealing," I told him.

"True. But protecting Angel is more important than not stealing. Don't get me wrong; I hate being a jerk and stealing from some innocent guy. But it's a price you have to pay, you know? Sometimes there's no clear black and white choice. This is a clear-cut grey area, if there ever was one."

"That was deep."

"I'm a deep guy. Now, are you ready to get going?"

"To where?"

"The laundromat. You're forgetting already?"

"Shut up! I just woke up."

We stood up and headed to the city. I absently noted that our conversation roles were switched this morning; Fang gave speeches and I said one-liners. It felt a little weird, so hopefully it was just an aberration.

We arrived at the nearest laundromat within an hour. After converting several bills into change and buying a small container of detergent, we threw all of our clothes except what we were wearing into the washing machine.

To pass the time, Fang suggested that we relax in a café, for the millionth time. As long as they had cushioned chairs, I was okay with it.

Kidding. Any chair looked pretty good when compared to the freaking forest floors Fang and I sat in. But a little luxury never hurt, right? It wasn't like we actually bought the chairs or anything. Fang and I just capitalized on coincidence.

Speaking of capitalizing on coincidence, Fang located a Starbucks just a few hundred feet from the laundromat. Dang, those were _everywhere _here. No wonder the people in this city lost their ability to 'even' way before the rest of the world.

Oh, wait, am I a white girl? Guess so…

"Watch it, Max!" Fang warned. I stopped in my tracks, but not soon enough. As I walked towards the café, I bumped into a lady carrying an expensive coffee, causing her to spill it all over her business suit.

"Sorry!" I said instinctively. The lady glared at me and grabbed me by the shirt. I wasn't having any of her nonsense, even though I did just spill coffee on her. I shook her hand off, causing her to get even angrier.

"Who do you think you are?" the lady scolded. "I have a meeting in an hour, and you do this?"

I shrugged. "Nobody's perfect." The lady raised her hand to hit me, but I was quicker. I grabbed her arm, twisted it behind her back, and shoved her.

Fang grabbed my arm. "Let's go!" he yelled, as the lady began to get back up. She was no match for us speed-wise, but we had to be careful. Fang and I ran right out of the city and hid in a large patch of bushes. When we saw that nobody was pursuing us, we finally relaxed.

"Do you have any idea how stupid that was?" Fang asked me. "You could've gotten us caught."

"We wouldn't have gotten caught! I just shoved some rude lady!"

Fang scowled. "If I recall correctly, you were the one who crashed into her."

"You could've warned me faster!"

"Oh, so now it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that!" I protested.

Fang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He shook his head. "I thought better of you, Max. Shoving some random lady? We grew up around abusive parents. Some idiot on the street you spilled coffee on isn't worth your time."

"Well-" I began. I was about to make another smart comment, but I suddenly realized I was in the wrong the whole time. I was so caught up in defending my pride, I completely ignored the fact that it was all my fault. I let myself down, and let Fang down too. "I-I'm sorry," I managed. "Are you happy?"

Fang put his arm around me. "This isn't about making me happy. This is about doing what's right. Just because we're on the run, and we did have to steal once, gives us no excuse to act poorly."

"I guess so."

Fang smiled slightly. "It's all right, Max. Everyone makes mistakes. But if we're to survive on the run, we have to make smarter choices."

"Will you shut up about the ethics and crap? It's not like you're perfect either."

Fang chuckled. "I'm definitely not. But you're a lot quicker to react than I am, so that leaves more room for potential spontaneous outbursts."

"Potential _what?_"

"Spontaneous outbursts. In other words, dumb stuff."

"Got it. We're getting the clothes now," I told him.

* * *

An hour later, we were sitting in a café with backpacks full of fresh clothes. Thankfully, when I spilled the coffee on the woman, I didn't get any on myself. Take that, sucker.

Fang appeared to have moved past the incident this morning, and I was more than happy to put it in my rearview mirror. I was still a stupid, immature seventeen-year-old, after all.

We sat in the café for a while, just relaxing. In other words, I was bored out of my mind for a whole hour. Yet another thing I took for granted now: peace and calm. I was really becoming a spoiled child. What if I lived in a *gasp* real family?

After Fang though our clothes were done washing, we walked back to the laundromat. We got to the building several minutes early, so we ended up waiting around. Fang took out some more change from his pocket.

"What's the money for?" I asked him.

"The clothes."

"We have to pay again? What happened to the money you put in earlier?"

"Dryer."

"Oh," I replied, noticing Fang returning to his one-word answers. He usually wasn't this succinct, but he was better at this than giving Harvard-worthy lectures. You could cross out teacher in the list of Fang's career choices.

On that thought, what _were _Fang's career choices? Even if he got back to Phoenix and attended his senior year, it wasn't easy to get hired without a degree. But that probably wasn't going to happen, since that would've meant leaving me behind. And I never would've let Fang get rid of me that easily.

After the wash cycle finally finished, Fang grabbed a basket from the counter and transferred the sopping wet clothing to a dryer. He shut the door, pressed a few buttons, and inserted a few coins. Suddenly, he frowned. After cursing under his breath, Fang went back to the cashier to exchange a few more bills for coins.

I was tempted to step in in fear of Fang screwing up, but decided to refrain myself. After all, I had no right to criticize him after shoving a lady on the street after spilling her coffee on her. I hoped it wasn't too expensive, because her suit looked pretty nice.

After Fang put the coins in the dryer, without goofing, he walked back to the chairs, where I was patiently waiting.

"It'll be an hour," he told me.

"Oh, great. What the hell are we supposed to do?"

Fang eyed the table next to me. "Well, there are People magazines here. Have you read one lately?"

"No. It's not like we've had time to."

"Nope," he agreed, sitting down and grabbing a magazine. I followed suit, picking up a random magazine as well.

We spent the next hour flipping through random magazines and reading articles. I caught Fang staring at scantily-clad celebrities multiple times, unsurprisingly. He was still a young man (is it weird that he's technically a man while I'm still a kid?), with hormones. Luckily for him, though, his were much more controlled than mine. I wanted to stuff mine in a bag and flush them down the toilet.

When they were ready, we took the clothes from the dryer and put them back in our backpack, we left the city and went back to our sleeping spot. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the grass before eating dinner. After Fang went to sleep, I took out my diary and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_Remind me again: why the hell am I so stupid? _

_They always say hindsight is 20/20, and boy, were they right. Shoving that woman was pretty much the only thing I remember regretting since leaving. Even though I'm socially behind, and I don't care in the least, a seventeen-year-old, almost eighteen-year-old girl should have stronger impulse control. _

_Whichever. I'm still alive, and Fang's with me. That's all that matters. Screw the lady. I may be strong, but I never said I was polite. Or consistent in attitude either._

_One thing I'm looking forwards to is another duet with Fang. The last one was beyond amazing, and really made me feel like I was in another world. I'd never tell Fang, but his voice pretty much hypnotizes me. It's just so amazing, it should be illegal._

_Anyways…awkward silence…_

_Love, _

_Max_

_NOTE TO SELF: Do not re-read this diary entry under any circumstances. _

* * *

Question of the Chapter: If you were in Fang's position, and had to choose between keeping an extra few hundred bucks to take on the run or leaving them behind with your little sister (who is still living in an abusive household, since the Martinezes and Griffiths' don't exist in this world), which would you choose?


	28. Chapter 28

Random Quote of the Week: _"I can feel you all around me, thickening the air I'm breathing, holding onto what I'm feeling, savoring this heart that's healing" -Flyleaf, from "All Around Me"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Fang, we're going stargazing tonight," I heard, as I slowly rolled over to sit up. I rubbed my eyes and looked at Max. Since I just woke up, it took me a minute to process what she was saying.

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled. It probably came out as something more like "Yeaarrrrgh", but who could talk like a ventriloquist less than a minute after waking up? Not me, for sure. I was a morning person, but not a just-woke-up-and-expected-to-plan-the-day morning person. For all I knew, nobody was. It wasn't just girls who needed their sleep. If you've ever met a teenage guy five minutes after wakes up, you'll know it's not a pretty sight. Just ask Max or Angel.

Back to the point: stargazing sounded like a good idea. We didn't have any sort of plan, as usual, so it was no problem. For that matter, doing anything at any time would've fine for us.

Except for being immoral, being outright rude, or acting unnecessarily stupid. Max did some of all three yesterday. Okay, maybe not number one. But running into a lady and pinning it on her? That kind of behavior wasn't the Max I knew. It wasn't worthy of her.

Even though she had become a very impulsive person as of late, not that it was a bad thing, what she did yesterday was absurd. I chalked it up to a spur-of-the-moment thing. Max was my best friend, and some stupid accident wasn't going to affect our relationship. But if we were to avoid getting caught, we had to be more careful. Since the police had practically given up on us, the pressure was off. However, if we played our cards wrong, we could easily end up separated and in a questioning room.

"Wait, Fang-look over there. A wave of grey clouds is coming," Max told me. I looked up, and instantly saw them. They could've only meant one thing: rain. We probably had about an hour before the clouds hit us.

I groaned. Little did I know, rain was the least of my concerns today.

"Let's head to a café," I suggested. I used to enjoy cafes, but they had gotten somewhat boring recently. Since we practically owned the Los Angeles Starbucks chain, air conditioning had somewhat lost its luster. Not that I was complaining, though. Taking indoor temperature for granted was much better than sweltering in the summer California heat.

As I pulled a can of rice out of my backpack, I noticed I only had a few cans left. We would need a restock on food sometime very soon. Pasadena was only ten miles away, so it would probably be a half-day, at most, excursion. I ate the food and put the empty can and fork back in my backpack. I also noticed that my utensils were getting pretty dirty. I didn't know if it would get us sick, or what, but it wouldn't have hurt to spend ten minutes washing up my fork.

After we jogged to the city, Max decided she wanted to walk around the city a bit. I had no choice to oblige. Thankfully, it was morning, so the streets weren't quite as crowded. But being the second "city that never sleeps", Los Angeles was still pretty packed.

I off-handedly noticed that Max was acting more and more like a leader. She relied on me for most decision-making when we first met, probably since I was the one with more experience as a runaway. But after nearly a month, Max was clearly the better leader of us two. I wasn't decisive unless forced to make a decision. On the other hand, Max made choices quickly and boldly, for better or worse.

We walked around the southern parts of the city for an hour before heading into a Starbucks. After parking myself in a seat, I took out my laptop.

"Here, give me a try," Max said, turning it towards her. She pressed the power button and waited for the computer to load. I knew she didn't know the password, so she wouldn't be able to do anything.

A minute later, Max handed the laptop back to me, already logged in.

"What the hell?" I asked her, completely baffled.

Max grinned. "I'm not the only one who talks in my sleep."

I raised my eyebrows. "When did I tell you?"

"This morning."

I groaned. "At least my iTunes password is different."

"Trust me, I'm not going to waste our money on getting you more GaGa."

"Hey, I can't help listening to it. It makes me feel good inside," I said, before realizing what I said. As Max laughed at me, I busied myself with my laptop in a futile effort to save face. I logged into my email, ignoring Max, and was greeted by two new messages.

* * *

Dear Fang,

Sorry about that. After reading the first few lines of your last email, I assumed the last few would be more of the same small talk.

I would be happy to do definitely do a hair, fingernail, or urine sample analysis. When and how would you get here, though? Los Angeles is a long drive, and an even longer run. Even though I know you are a serious runner, and I've been told Max is as well, I don't want you two unnecessarily straining your muscles.

Again, apologies for skimming your last email. I'll do my best to help you in any way possible.

Sincerely,

James

* * *

Dear James,

It's no problem. We all have our moments.

Actually, we were wondering if you would be willing to drive out here and take a test in Los Angeles. I hate to trouble you with this, but it'll take Max and I a month to run back comfortably. Max and I don't want to put too much pressure on our leg muscles either.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

I opened up Ella's email once I was finished replying.

* * *

Dear Fang,

No way. I have to hear her! You guys were probably soooo adorable singing together!

WHAT. You better not lose her again. I will personally feed you to Gazzy's new dog if you do.

Aww, that's so cute! If you haven't caught on by now, this is how crappy romance novels work. Except this is in real life. All I have to say is that you better hold on to Max, and hold on tight!

By the way, I think we can visit soon! The kids are always available, and Iggy and I have a weekend off. We're not sure yet if it's this one or next one, but we can try to head over there for a couple days. Mom's too busy, though, unfortunately.

Peace out!

Love,

Ella

* * *

I responded immediately.

* * *

Dear Ella,

You really should. You won't be disappointed, I promise. We sang Broken by Seether, yeah, that's one of the songs Iggy failed, and Max completely killed it. Made me look terrible.

I won't, I promise. Believe it or not, we only got lost thanks to a box of tampons. Long story.

That sounds great. I'd love to see you guys again. We'll be in Los Angeles for a while; we haven't decided when to leave yet. But I'll warn you right now, if we get found by the police or something, surviving is our first priority. I'll try to get a call to you, but I can't make any promises.

By the way: I have one request. Since Angel is practically living with you guys right now, do you mind asking her to bring the money I left back at home to me if you guys visit? I'd rather not steal again, and unless you'd like to stake a claim to our money for housing Angel, Max and I won't have to steal.

Sincerely,

Fang

* * *

I logged out of my email account. After checking the weather, Max and I knew we were in for a long day. The rainstorm was slated to pass over the city for the entire day and possibly even bleed into tomorrow. To make matters worse, the temperatures tonight were supposed to dip into the forties.

"Sorry, Max. Stargazing is off for tonight."

Max waved her hand. "There's always tomorrow. But what are we supposed to do today? I'm not doing nothing for a whole goddamn day. "

"Let's dig through our backpacks and clean them out. They're probably pretty filthy right now."

Max shrugged. "Empty your backpack." I complied, taking our cash, my list of phone numbers, the paper with Ella's phone number, Angel's plastic wedding ring, a few cans of food, more than a few empty cans of food, my laptop's power cord, my watch (which I could sell), a fork, an energy bar, and a napkin from three weeks ago out of my backpack and set them on my laptop.

Max sifted through the garbage, shoving the napkin and empty cans into my arms. "Throw these out," she ordered. I did so. Max took my backpack and walked to the bathroom, leaving me with a messy pile of belongings to deal with.

I picked up my fork and noticed it needed a washing badly. Hardened particles of rice and beans were caked to the tines, which probably wasn't doing me any favors in the hygiene department. When Max got back from the bathroom, I would go wash my fork. Max's probably wasn't any better, so I could take hers too.

I picked up Max's backpack and emptied it onto the other side of the table. When I saw that her diary was the first thing to fall out, I couldn't have denied I was tempted. But, I respected Max much more than I wanted to sift through her secrets.

I discarded the empty cans in Max's backpack and set her empty backpack on the chair. Sure enough, her fork was pretty messy. I saw a speck of bean remains on Max' diary, so I grabbed a napkin and wiped it off.

"Fang! What are you doing!" Max cried as she walked, panicked, towards me. She was toting my wet backpack in one arm and holding a wad of paper towels in the other. I stared at her, not getting it. I looked down at the table, and immediately understood. Max walking in on me holding her diary certainly didn't look too good.

"I didn't-"

"I thought you agreed not to read it! Just because you're my friend doesn't give you the right to read my private diary. How would you like it if someone could read your mind?" Max huffed, glaring at me. She shoved my backpack into my arms and grabbed her diary back.

"I didn't read it," I told her.

"Then why is my stuff laid out on the table and my diary in your hand?!"

"Chill out. I was just going to wash your fork."

Max paused. "With my diary?"

"The diary had a speck of bean on it. I just wiped it off. See?" I told her, holding out the napkin I used.

Max glared at me. "Can't you come up with a better lie than that? Go wash my backpack," she said, making a beeline for the door.

"Max-" I protested. What was she thinking? She couldn't go out in the rain. But I couldn't stop her without causing commotion.

Max gave me one last glare before storming out of the Starbucks, leaving me in the dust. I was frozen in shock as I watched her run down the street. I was surprised, but most of all hurt. My best friend didn't trust me? My word wasn't enough to convince her I didn't do anything wrong? The whole situation was so unfair, but I wasn't going to let it bother me.

As much as I wanted to run after Max, I knew it wouldn't have done any good. If Max was truly upset, I never would've caught her. Plus, giving her a few hours on her own couldn't have hurt.

To pass the time, I took all of our belongings into the bathroom and locked the door. With a wad of paper towels, I dried my backpack and put everything but the laptop back in it. I didn't want to risk short-circuiting it.

I quickly inspected Max's backpack, and it looked to be in decent condition. I decided it didn't need to be washed.

After washing our forks, I put everything back into both of our backpacks. I tried to make sure I did a good job with everything, but I was still mentally frozen by Max's glare. I didn't want to shut off my emotions to the person who mattered most to me.

I spent the rest of the day resting up in the café. The rain didn't let up until past midnight, and Max hadn't returned to the café. Being her stubborn self, I didn't count on it.

Naturally, I dropped a few bucks to grab a coffee. I didn't want tiredness to influence my actions if or when I saw Max. After I finished, I left the café and jogged off to our sleeping spot.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What do you think happened to Max? Read the last two paragraphs again-and look at the wording carefully! I think Fang subconsciously knows what's up, do you?

By the way, has anyone read the Blood of Olympus? I'm reading it right now, and loving it! There are a few things I want to happen that better happen. Like, Caleo, someone dying for once, etc. No spoilers please! (:


	29. Chapter 29: Part 1

Reviewer of the Week:

**Guest: **"I died from feels. Please get the fanbulance."

Random Quote of the Week: _"Never mind, I'll find someone like you" -Adele, from Someone Like You_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

As I reached the clearing, I saw Max lying down on the other side of the tree showing no signs of movement. Was she really that tired…or hurt?

"Max!" I called, picking up the pace. I turned the corner and knelt down next to Max. Io immediately gasped when I saw her.

Her face was covered with scratches and blood, and she had a black eye on her left eye. Her left knee was twisted in an uncanny angle, her left arm had a large bruise already, and her clothes were torn up. The left leg of her jeans was ripped from the knee down, a long cut ran along the length of the rip, and her shirt's neckline was slashed.

I balled my fists. Someone had to have done this to her. I had no clue who it was, but I knew one thing: I was already gunning for their blood. I swore to myself I would rip them to pieces if I ever got the chance.

After I got over the initial shock of seeing Max like that, I inspected her closer. I noticed her breathing was choppy, her eyes were closed, and her body was freezing cold. I immediately took off my jacket and wrapped it around Max. She didn't object.

"Max…" I muttered. "Max, can you hear me?" To my dismay, she didn't respond.

My mind went into overdrive as I thought of the best thing I could've done to help her. She was in pretty bad condition, but besides her injuries, hopefully she was just tired and cold. At worst, she could've gotten sick, maybe even with the flu. Either way, I was dead worried about the whole goddamn situation. Why did I have to be so stupid for letting Max go? Why did she have to walk out right when I cleaned off her diary? I mentally yelled at fate for screwing me over again.

I gathered her in my arms the best I could and pressed her against me to warm her up as quickly as possible. As the seconds ticked by, I grew more and more concerned about Max's condition. To make things worse, she was soaked in cold water and being outside wasn't helping matters. Max was in no condition to head back to the café, so I would have to deal with her here.

Slowly but surely, I felt Max's body finally starting to warm up. I could tell she wasn't asleep by her quick breathing pattern, and hopefully she would start responding to me soon. It might not have mattered too much, actually, since I had little idea of how to help her.

Still holding Max with one arm, I used the other to wipe some of the water off of a small grassy area. I did my best, but the ground was still wet. It had to do for the time being, though. My arms were getting tired from holding Max.

As I lay her down on the spot I cleared, I noticed something leaning against the tree beside Max: her diary. When I saw that half of it was soaked through with water, I felt a twinge of sadness. Max's diary, which meant so much to her, was potentially ruined.

I had a choice to either let it sit and potentially wet the entire diary or open it and rip out the wet pages. Not thinking about how Max would've reacted, I chose the latter.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I opened the diary and saw that the wet half was the unused part. When I opened it, it flipped to a random page. I tried to tear my eyes away, but they got a glimpse of one line.

_Max, you are in love with Fang. Whether you realize it or not._

Crap. Iggy said that to Max, too? He was just psycho, right?

Regardless, I had more important matters to deal with. I easily ripped out the wet papers and set them aside. After setting the diary in Max's backpack, I turned back to her.

Her breathing had slowed down, which was a good sign, but her face was still really bloody. I took of my shirt, wet it in the grass, and wiped most of the blood off her face. Thankfully, she wasn't bleeding, but there was no doubt that there was a good amount of blood Max lost.

After a few minutes, Max's eyelids fluttered open slightly. My heart swelled with relief as I felt Max's energy return to her.

"Fang…" Max mumbled.

I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Shh. Don't speak. You need the energy," I told her. Max nodded and closed her eyes. I opened my backpack, took out my last energy bar, and handed it to her. "Eat this. It'll give you some energy."

Max lifted her left arm and immediately winced. Someone must've gotten her pretty badly there. My heart softened and hardened simultaneously: it softened for Max, who needed me more than ever right now, but hardened towards her attacker. I was even more furious at whoever it was now.

As Max set her possibly sprained or broken left arm back on the grass, she lifted her right hand to take the bar. After I helped her open it, she slowly chewed it piece by piece, wincing with every bite, and handed me back the wrapper when she was done. After I tucked it back into my backpack, I turned back to Max.

"Do you know dumb that was?" I said softly. "I was so worried when I saw you."

Max mumbled something I couldn't make out and opened her eyes, a look of confusion apparent on her face. "Where am I?" she managed.

"You ran out of the café in the rain. I had no idea where you went, and I found you here."

"Oh, I remember."

"Tell me later. Just rest now," I said, kissing her forehead. She lay down and immediately passed out.

I took the time to examine her left knee more closely, and it looked fine besides the angle it was protruding at. Instead of coming straight down, it was going slightly to the left. Without thinking, I slowly nudged it back and felt it pop into place. Max winced, but didn't wake up. She must've really been exhausted.

Now that I was pretty sure Max was going to be fine, my rush of adrenaline faded and I finally felt as tired as I was. I was ready to drop despite having a coffee not an hour ago.

As I gave Max one final glance, a burst of anger re-ignited within me. Who would attack an innocent girl like that? And what did they want with Max? Was it a coincidence that Max was attacked the one time she was away from me?

As I mulled it over, it hit me.

Max's ripped clothing. The scratches and bruises led me in the right direction, but it was her clothing that sold it.

Someone tried to _rape _Max.

I hated it, but I was certain I was right. There was no other reason someone would've attacked a random girl. I suddenly felt so relieved that Max made it back here. If she got captured…there was no telling what could've unfolded. Thank freaking goodness Max was strong, quick, and agile. But whoever hurt Max this badly must've been pretty strong too.

Of course, realizing this made me ten times angrier. I was as protective of Max as brothers were of their sisters, and I refused to imagine how traumatized Max would've been had she been raped. I was _really _going to kill whoever attacked her.

Even as it was, Max probably was not the same. I mean, it took a while to recover from a near-death experience like getting attacked by a guy with a freaking knife.

I tried to stay awake so I could protect and wake Max if necessary, but my energy abandoned me. Within seconds, I was asleep by Max's side.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Do you want to kill me or thank me right now?

Question of the Chapter #2: This story can continue two different ways-Max living, and Max dying. Any preferences?

Note: there will be 4 parts to Chapter 29. They will be in Fang's, Max's, Fang's, and Max's points of view, respectively.


	30. Chapter 29: Part 2

500! I still haven't wrapped my mind around it...I remember when I was proud to have received 500 views.

Reviewers of the Week:

**Guest: ***a deep breath and a fangirl moment later*

**Fandomsrule10:** I'm in the process of thanking you whilst I stab you a million times in the chest! *cries* Thank you! *stab stab stab*

* * *

**Max's POV**

_[Flashback]_

_Unjustifiably overcome by anger and betrayal, I ran. Out of the city, past our sleeping spot. I just needed to get away and clear my mind. _

_I stopped by a tree for a quick break several miles in, and that was when I noticed something was wrong. Something just felt off…_

_Before I could think about it, a hand clamped over my mouth. "Keep quiet and don't move, girlie, if you know what's best for you," a deep, nondescript voice said. _

_I carefully remained still as he pulled out a knife and held it to my throat. "You're our chick for tonight. If you behave, we'll let you go tomorrow. Not a word about this to anyone or else you're dead."_

_A tall figure in a black hoodie and ski mask appeared in front of me. Great. Looked like I had two captors now…_

_I had to get out of this, but how? I was outnumbered, two to one, and they had me at knife's point right now. I racked my brain for answers as the creepy guy who was holding me started talking again. _

_"Ortiz, get the gas ready. Actually, scratch that. This girl looks pretty weak, I think we can just stuff her in the back. What do you think?" _

_The other guy, who I guessed was Ortiz, replied, "Sound good. If she knows what's good for her, she won't be complainin' anyways."_

_That did it. I jumped up and knocked the knife away, startling both men. Creepy Guy's knife cut a slit through the neck of my shirt, but that didn't matter at this point. I had to act fast and fight my heart out. _

_Unfortunately, the men got over their surprise quickly. Ortiz grinned. "A feisty one, she is."_

_I delivered a roundhouse kick to Creepy Guy's chest, knocking the wind out of him. He quickly recovered and charged me, while Ortiz laughed and watched from farther behind. Unfortunately, Creepy Guy was quick. Before I could dodge or block, he delivered a swift clip to my left arm. I countered with a blow to his jaw. He stumbled backwards, but remained on his feet. _

_My left arm was on fire from the punch. He sure knew how to hit. But that was a problem for later. I ignored the pain and pursued him. Ortiz stepped forwards, but Creepy Guy pushed him away, wanting to take me down himself. Pride was one thing I could've used to my advantage. _

_When he looked me in the eyes, Creepy Guy wasn't smiling anymore. His jaw was bleeding, and he was already tiring. Guess he wasn't used to his victims fighting back. But I wasn't going down without a fight. I wasn't going down, period. I was faster and stronger than this guy._

_When he charged me again, I delivered a swift kick to his neck. I heard the satisfying snap of his collarbone snapping, and he went down, clutching his neck. I guess I must've hit the right spot. One kick wasn't usually enough to take someone out like that. But as soon as I heard the snap, I knew Creepy Guy wasn't going to be getting up for a long time. _

_But the battle wasn't over yet. Ortiz was still there, and in top condition. I was more tired, smaller, and probably weaker than him. The one advantage I had was speed._

_"C'mon, girlie! Gonna fight me or what?" he taunted. I didn't waste energy replying. Instead, I ran at him, ready to sock him in the face. _

_I never got the chance. He drew a knife and flipped out the blade, grinning. As I approached, he waved it around maniacally. As I lunged forwards with my fist, he slashed at my face with the knife. _

_I was quick enough to bring up my bruised left arm to stop him from getting a clear shot, but he still slashed my cheek pretty well. Blood immediately spurted from my wound, dripping down onto my shirt._

_I stumbled backwards, regaining my balance. Ortiz came at me and quickly threw a punch at my face. I was caught unprepared, and he nailed my left eye. He also scratched the other side of my face as he aggressively pulled his fist back._

_I clenched my teeth, trying my best to ignore the pain. When he charged me again, I was ready to face him. I ducked under his punch and kicked him in the stomach. He gasped and stumbled backwards. _

_He ran at me again, this time slightly slower. Unfortunately, my instincts let me down for the first time. I felt myself freeze up as he dove at my leg with his knife. I cried out in pain as he slashed his knife down the length of my left leg, ending at my foot. He kicked me backwards, causing me to trip and fall on the ground. I was down for the count._

_But I wasn't giving up. Sure, he had me cornered, but there was a way out of all situations. I would never lose a fight to a couple creeps. _

_Ortiz smiled and looked down at me. I thought hard of a way, any way, to save myself, but it was to no avail. _

_I rolled over as Ortiz stalked towards me, knife in hand. _

_What saved me was Creepy Guy._

_For better worse, I tripped over him on my way down. For some reason, Ortiz didn't see him and did the same. He immediately pitched forwards, landing just in front of me. His knife sank hilt-deep in the dirt as he unwillingly released his grip on it. I took advantage and grabbed it. I crawled around him and grabbed Creepy Guy's knife, too._

_I had him. I had two weapons, and he had none. But he was merely injured; I was well past the stage of injured. He was stronger and quicker than me right now. My last physical weapon, my speed, was gone. _

_But what mattered was I got his knives. I would've been hopeless without them, but I had the upper hand now. _

_As Ortiz charged me one last time, I raised both knives. As his foot crashed down on my knee, causing it to flare up in pain, I lost perception of space. I chucked my right-hand knife in a last-ditch effort. _

_With whatever luck I had left, the knife embedded itself in Ortiz's shoulder. He clutched it as he fell back to the ground. I scooted over to him and shoved the knife deeper into his shoulder. He cried out in pain as it became unbearable._

_But I wasn't done yet. They tried to freaking rape me, so I wasn't letting them off easy. I couldn't have justified killing them, but I was going to hurt them worse. I held both of their fates in the palm of my hand, now. All the hard work paid off._

_Both men were unconscious, thankfully. I painfully scooted over to Creepy Guy, my captor and savior, and stabbed him in the arm. He cried out in pain as he briefly regained consciousness. I didn't feel sorry for him in the least, though, since they were purely merciless. They were lucky I wasn't going to kill them. I could've easily pinned a murder on self-defense and gotten off clean if I faced a lawsuit. _

_I crawled over to Ortiz, leaning heavily on my intact right leg. After looking over him, I decided to leave him alone for the time being. He was losing blood, but not at a fatal rate. He'd be passed out for a long time, at least six hours, and light-headed for a long time afterwards. At least until he got a blood transfusion._

_I flipped both knives shut and laid them on the ground. I could've potentially used them, maybe as a way to get Ortiz and Creepy Guy arrested, but then I'd be revealed as a runaway. My best bet was to just let someone else stumble upon them. _

_Out of nowhere, I noticed myself starting to get light-headed. Crap. My minutes of consciousness were limited. I was losing blood, too, and my only hope right now was to get back to the sleeping spot. _

_Oh, Fang. I couldn't explain to him how sorry I was. Assuming I managed to make it back to the spot, which wasn't a given by any means, Fang would've had to spend hours tending to me and treating me like a five-year-old. I fully deserved it, though._

_I slowly crawled back towards the sleeping spot, a good quarter mile away and tucked deep in a forest. If Fang and I didn't make any noise there, there was a good chance we wouldn't have been found even if I couldn't move._

_With the prospect of seeing Fang again clear in my mind, I pushed on. Despite the pain, I managed to make it back to our tree. I lay down beside it, completely and utterly exhausted._

_As I passed out, I realized that the whole life-risking ordeal wouldn't have been necessary if I did so much so as to trust Fang, my best friend, over something as stupid as not reading my diary._

_[End Flashback]_

I woke up, my entire body in excruciating pain. My face felt like it was peeling off, my leg was on fire, and my arm felt pretty bad also. When I saw Fang worriedly looking down on me, a tidal wave of guilt crashed down on my heart.

How could I have been so stupid? Fang was trying to _help _me, and I repayed him by going out, getting beaten up, and forcing him to take care of me. I was lucky enough to be able to crawl back to the sleeping spot.

"Max? You awake?" Fang whispered.

"Yeah," I managed.

"Thank goodness. You've been out forever. Before you do anything, drink this," he told me, handing me a bottle. I quickly downed the entire bottle and handed it back. Fang rummaged through his backpack for a minute before taking out a can of beans. After opening it, he took out a fork and loaded a scoop onto it.

"I can feed myself," I told him.

"Save the energy. I got it, it's fine." Before I could object, he slid the beans into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed them, thankful for the food. I was so hungry; Fang ended up feeding me two full cans of beans. We were out of food, but I knew Fang never would've let me go on a half-empty stomach in my condition.

"Max, can you walk?" he asked me.

"You think I can walk, and you're complaining about whether I can eat or not? Of course I can't."

Fang nodded sullenly. "I guess I have no choice, then."

"What?"

"I'm going to call Dr. Martinez. Now."

"Fang-" I protested.

"That's final," he informed me. "You are _not _getting hurt worse." I breathed a sigh of defeat and closed my eyes. Protective Fang wasn't worth waging a hopeless fight against. Besides, we both knew I needed as much help as I could get.

"Can I leave you here alone?" he asked me, cautiously.

"Of course. What do you think I am, incompetent?"

"Fine. But at least keep this," he said, handing me his knife. "I know you're not in top condition, but I'd feel better if you had that."

"Got it. Now go."

Fang grinned. "Glad to hear at least your attitude is back to normal," he said, standing up. He disappeared out of the forest and ran back to the city with his backpack.

* * *

Two hours later, Fang returned.

"Good news. Dr. Martinez just left Arizona with Iggy and Ella. She didn't let the kids go, though. Mr. Griffiths is also on his way, by the way."

"Thanks. What would I ever do without you?"

"Nothing. Now, do you mind telling me what happened?" he asked.

I told him the story, and his face grew angrier and angrier with every word. He was gripping a tree branch so tightly I thought it was going to fall off. It was intimidating, but I also found it more than a little sweet that he really cared about me. I knew already, but it was still heartwarming nonetheless.

"I swear, these guys-" he fumed.

"It's fine. What's done is done. What matters is that we're here and safe."

"I know. But if that Ortiz guy didn't trip…"

"He did. That's enough, Fang. We're already in enough trouble with the law right now for running away."

"But I still have dibs on killing these guys."

"Whatever."

"I promise that's not happening again."

"Don't make any promises, Fang. Who knows what could happen?"

"Don't speak like that. We have each other now. We're fine. As soon as the doctors arrive and get you fixed up, we'll be golden. "

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What time of the day do you write best? For school, FFn, anything.

My answer: Schoolwork from 4-8 PM. FF from 10 PM to 2 AM. I'm just curious to know if anyone's writing schedule is as messed up as mine.


	31. Chapter 29: Part 3

By the way, reviewers voted in favor of Max living 23 to 1 two chapters ago.

Random Quote of the Week: _"I miss the winter, a world of fragile things, look for me in a white forest hiding in a hollow tree, I know you hear me, I can taste it in your tears," by Evanescence, from "My Last Breath"_

* * *

**Fang's POV **

Five hours later, Dr. Martinez, Mr. Griffiths, Iggy, and Ella met me outside a parking garage I told them to go to. The doctors toted large bags of first aid equipment, but all Iggy and Ella held were each other's hand.

"Fang!" they all cried, when they saw me.

Ella tackled me in a hug before I could stop her. When she let go, Iggy offered me a bro hug, but I shook my head. "Max is in trouble. Let's go. Just follow me, it's a couple miles."

They all nodded and followed me as I slowly jogged to our spot. I carried Dr. Martinez's bag, and Iggy carried his father's. We made it to Max within twenty minutes. Dr. M stepped ahead of us and knelt by Max' side. Almost immediately, she shook her head.

"This doesn't look good. If I was here right when it happened, things might be looking better."

"I know," I told Dr. Martinez. "Is there anything you can do?"

"Of course," she responded immediately. "Let me first disinfect her wounds."

"I'm awake," Max pointed out. "I can talk."

"Oh! Sorry, Max. Back to the point, do you have any hidden wounds or injuries?"

"Nope. Just the face, leg, and arm."

Iggy, Ella, and Mr. Griffiths looked on nervously as Dr. M investigated Max's body for several minutes. "Thankfully, nothing looks infected," she announced. "I'll go ahead and disinfect all of your wounds now. This might hurt, I'm warning you."

Max nodded, her eyes pressed tightly together. As Dr. M's alcohol-dipped piece of gauze made contact with the cut on Max's leg, she winced. Fortunately, Max held it together as Dr. M disinfected the entire wound. She sighed loudly in relief when Dr. Martinez was done.

"We're not done yet," she told Max. "Still have to do the face. Hold still for me, will you?"

When Dr. Martinez wiped Max's face off, she cried out in pain and squeezed her eyes even tighter. Dr. Martinez immediately took the swab off.

"Is everything okay?" she asked Max.

"Go on," Max managed. Dr. Martinez proceeded to wipe down the rest of Max's face, eliciting several more cries. My heart clenched at seeing my Max in pain, but this was more important. Max could've gotten infected far worse if Dr. Martinez wasn't here.

"Thanks," Dr. Martinez said when she finished. "By the way, is something up with your knee? It looks a little off."

"Yeah," I explained. "It was sticking out to the left, so I popped it back in." Dr. M felt around Max's knee and shook her head.

"You did the right thing, but it's still a tad off. There's a nerve pinched between the bone and the joint," she informed us.

"Can you fix it?" I asked.

She quickly nodded. "Just a minute." After feeling around a little more, Dr. M nudged Max's knee down and to the right slightly. When she was done, Max's face relaxed slightly. I felt a burst of gratitude to Dr. Martinez for helping to ease Max's pain.

"You should be good to go, for the most part," Dr. M told Max. "After I finish bandaging up the scratches, all you need is time."

"Thanks a ton," Max and I said simultaneously. "I don't know what we would've done without you," I added.

"Of course. I'm glad you called. I'm always available to help in an emergency. If this happens again, don't hesitate a moment before calling."

"We won't," I promised.

"I sure hope so. You've always liked to deal with problems yourself. We're always available to help! If it's urgent, you come before the practice. I can always have someone take over if there's an emergency."

"By the way," Ella, who was holding out an envelope, said, "here's the money. Angel won't accept any allowance from my mom, but she still had all your money. Unless mom has any objections, we're not staking claims to your cash."

"Thanks a ton. I might not need to sell the laptop now."

"You better not! Actually, if you do, at least send me the videos of Iggy trying to sing."

"I will. By the way, how's Iggy's search for a job going?" I asked, causing Iggy to exasperatedly sigh.

"Well…" Ella began.

"It's been going pretty badly," Mr. Griffiths broke in. "Ella here has been doing her best, but Iggy got fired from another job at Dunkin Donuts this time. He threw a donut at a customer's face when they didn't stop whining. It's safe to say he has a bit of growing up to do before he takes on the real world," he said, causing Ella to giggle. Max, who had been having trouble breathing from her chest injuries, cracked a smile. That was a good sign.

"Sorry guys, but If you don't mind, I need to get Max bandaged up as soon as possible since it's easy to get infected outside," Dr. Martinez said. We all remained silent as Dr. Martinez wrapped layers of gauze surrounded by cloth tape around Max's leg. For Max's face, she tried to use as little tape as possible while still effectively covering all of her wounds.

"That should do it," Dr. Martinez announced, laying one final strip of tape on. "You should hang on to the rest of these supplies so Max can re-bandage herself once the adhesives wear off."

"Great. Thanks, Doctor," Max said.

"And no running for at least a week."

"What? Why?"

"Your knee needs time to heal. If you need to go anywhere, I can drive you there."

"No, it's fine. How long will it be until I can walk?"

"Tomorrow, at best. I'd imagine it could take a week at worst. If you still can't walk by then, then call me again."

"Sounds good. By the way, does anyone have food?"

Iggy smiled. "Thought you'd never ask," he said, opening his bag. He pulled out a large bag of take-out containers, smelling suspiciously like Chinese food.

Now, even though some people got sick of that stuff, the food smelled like heaven after not eating anything but rice, beans, and the occasional energy bar for a month and a half.

Wait, a month and a half? I'd only been on the run for a month and a half out of my eighteen years of life? Funny, it felt like a lot more.

But anyways, my attention was currently occupied by the Chinese food sitting in front of me. I grabbed a container, opened the top, and dove in with one of the plastic forks in the bag. My friends seemed amused by my aggressiveness, but hey, it wasn't like they would've been mellow about it if they were in my position.

Before I knew it, I emptied four containers of food and Max took three, leaving two for everyone else. Oops.

"Sorry, guys. I wasn't paying attention," I apologized.

Ella laughed. "It's fine. We actually stopped by a rest stop on our way here and have some food in the car. Don't eat the rest, though. Iggy needs energy to drive, and nobody trusts him on the road in the first place."

"Just in case I'm missing something, I'll need you to tell me how exactly you got hurt," Dr. Martinez said.

"Nothing big. Just got attacked," Max replied.

Dr. Martinez raised her eyebrows. "You got attacked? That's nothing big? Tell me exactly what happened, please."

After Max told her the story, minus the part about the guys trying to rape her, Dr. M shook her head. "Why would they want to attack you?" she asked, grimacing.

Max shrugged. "Crazy people." Dr. M looked at me, even more uptight, and we both knew that she knew why Max was attacked. I should've known that a woman with a motherly instinct like Dr. Martinez could've put two and two together to arrive at that conclusion.

"It's good you took them out. There's no telling what they could've done," Dr. M told Max carefully. "Where did you learn to fight?"

Max shrugged. "Taught myself."

"That's pretty impressive," she said. She turned to me. "Is there anything else you two need before we leave?"

"Not really. I wish you could've stayed longer, but I completely understand," I said. "You've already done us a huge favor."

"Don't mention it," she replied.

"Wait a minute," Max spoke up. "Is there a way you can take a DNA sample or anything here?" she asked Mr. Griffiths.

He pondered it for a minute before replying. "I would be happy to help you, but I don't feel comfortable taking any specimens out in the field like this. I'd only feel at peace if we did it in a doctor's office."

"That's fine," Max said.

"If you want a ride to Phoenix, I'd be happy to give it to you."

"Thanks, but no thanks."

Dr. M chimed in, "Max, are you sure? I would feel much more comfortable if you stayed with James or I rather than running around alone in the wilderness like this."

"I'm not alone," Max protested. "Fang is here. Plus, we're right next to Los Angeles, not the middle of nowhere."

"Then how did you get attacked?"

"I wasn't careful enough."

"And what's to stop you from getting attacked again?"

"Nothing, I guess. But I'm staying on the run. I never really even considered staying at a house, actually. I wouldn't want to burden you like that."

"It's no problem," Dr. M assured Max. "We have more than enough food, plenty of money, and two extra rooms."

"I appreciate it and all, but I think Fang and I are happy on the run. We might put down some day, but no time soon."

"And you, Fang? Care to try to change Max's mind?"

"Sorry, but I'm with her," I said. "I'm going wherever she's going."

Dr. M sighed. "I guess I can't change your mind. But no running for a week, no walking for a day, and promise me you'll be careful, Max?"

"Of course," she said.

"And be sure to call me if there's an emergency!"

"I will. Or, Fang will."

"Good. Now, is everyone ready to go?" Dr. M said.

"Actually," Iggy said. "Ella and I were planning to spend another day here, in case Max needed anything else. We have nothing to do tomorrow anyways."

Dr. M shrugged. "Sure," she said, standing up. Everyone stood up with her except for Max. She me a hug before leading Mr. Griffiths back to the city.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Do you like Chinese food as much as a hungry Fang does? I know I do!

Minor announcement: I know I said about fifty to seventy chapters earlier, but it'll probably end up being more than seventy. This is the thirty-first chapter posted, and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet. It'll all be posted on this story, not a sequel, since it's going to be on one plot line.

Please don't forget to review! The reviews for last chapter were barely over a third of what they were for the chapter before; can we get it back up?


	32. Chapter 29: Part 4

Thanks for all the reviews! 90 in the past three chapters alone is awesome!

* * *

**Max's POV**

"So, how have things been?" Ella asked, once the adults were gone. She looked far more excited than she did

"Good, I guess," Fang replied.

"I meant, between you two," she clarified.

I sighed. Not this again. "There's nothing going on, just like last time," Fang said, to no one's surprise.

"Two weeks, and nothing?" Ella asked, incredulous.

"Nope," I said, trying my best to ignore her. Ella's words suggesting Fang and I get together felt more and more out of place every time she said them. For some reason, I felt the need to block Ella out when she went on her hopeless romantic tirades. With my walls as weak as they'd ever been, I didn't want to know what would happen if I let Ella's words about Fang get to me. Fang didn't blink an eye, as usual, not shifting his worried gaze from me.

"You guys suck. By the way, Max, are you really a great singer?" Ella asked, still trying to keep our spirits high. I was happy she was trying, but there was only much she could do at this point. I didn't want to disrespect Ella, but unless she was talking about Fang, her words went in one ear and out the other.

I stared at her. "What?"

"Fang told me."

"Oh."

"So, are you?" Ella pressed.

"Nah."

"Don't listen to her," Fang told Ella. "She's too timid when she's hurt."

"Am not!" I complained, despite my jaw's protests.

"Guess not," Fang said absently. "Anyways, where are the kids?"

"I wish I could've taken them," Iggy said with a sigh. "I know how much they want to see you two, and vice versa. They were at a birthday party, and we didn't have time to pick them up because we had to get here as soon as possible. Don't worry, though. Mr. Martinez will take care of them."

"That's too bad," Fang said, sighing and looking away from me. It was obvious he wanted the kids here, mainly Angel. "But at least you two are here. It's hard to believe it's only been a month since I left."

"I know, right?" Ella said. "We've actually been getting used to living Fang-less-ly."

"I could say the same about you guys. Not that I don't miss you, but being on the run isn't as bad as you think," Fang said.

"How is never showering, living on next to nothing, and wearing the same clothes over and over not bad?"

"We don't really shower, but we wash up in restaurants. And there are laundromats, by the way."

"Oh, that's not as bad, then. But you know you always have a home with us, right?" Ella asked.

Fang snapped a twig between his fingers. "Yeah," he said, looking back at me. His left eye twitched, alerting me to the fact that he didn't mean what he told Ella. Our home was with each other, wherever it was. Even if we weren't with the Flock, even Angel and Ella, I was at home if Fang was there.

They talked for the rest of the evening while I remained lying down in a pile of leaves Fang made for me while I was asleep and listened. It wasn't a bed, or even a bed of grass, but I was going to manage. After needing so many big favors from my friends, I wasn't going to harass them about trivial matters. I wanted to join the conversation too, but my jaw was in a fragile condition. If there was something urgent, I could've undoubtedly ignored the pain, but talking about college didn't exactly qualify.

After eating a few sandwiches from their car Iggy packed, he and Ella lay down between the trees. Fang made sure they were asleep before turning to me and setting his hand on my forehead.

"Max, is everything okay?" he asked as I sat up. I nodded weakly, earning a frown from Fang. We both knew I wasn't fine. "Things aren't, I should've known. What exactly is hurting now?"

"Knee. Arm. Jaw. Eye. The scratches aren't too bad."

"Shoot, you should've said something. Dr. Martinez never gave you any painkillers," he said, brushing my hair from my eyes. I sighed contentedly as I felt Fang's warm hands on my cheeks.

"I'll be fine."

"I know you will," Fang said, wrapping his arm around me.

I leaned into him for the warmth I yearned for so badly last night. Even though I wasn't as helpless, it felt nice being in Fang's arms again. I didn't feel very safe in the very element I was assaulted in only yesterday, but Fang eased my paranoia, even if just for a minute. I didn't care that my left arm was throbbing under Fang's pressure. He knew where I was hurt, and I trusted he'd know where not to touch me.

It was really weird, but I felt more vulnerable and paranoid without Fang by my side. Like, literally by my side. I was still a strong girl, but how could I be the same after two guys tried to rape me? I tried to push it out of my mind, but I still struggled to grasp what happened. I was exceedingly close to getting raped, possibly killed, and taken far away from Fang. After yesterday, I wasn't sure if I could bring myself to take any sort of risk at all involving losing Fang. It was probably a good idea anyways, for his sake as well as mine.

"Please don't scare me like that again," Fang told me, his eyes searching mine. I knew he couldn't stand seeing me in physical pain, evident by his worried grimaces every time he looked my way, but as abused children we both knew emotional pain was worse more often than not.

It wasn't like I wasn't able to think clearly right now, since I was, but I was...uncomfortable. Uncomfortable around people, for obvious reasons, and uncomfortable alone for even more obvious reasons.

"I won't. I promise."

"Don't make any promises. Anything could happen. But don't do that again, okay?" he said, staring at the ground.

"What, do you want me to stay in your sight at all times? I'm not an eggshell," I said softly.

"I know you aren't. But I don't know what I'd do without you. You have no idea how worried I was. Iggy was right; I do love you."

"You don't mean—"

"You know what I mean. But you changed my life, Maximum, in a good way. And I hope you can say the same about me."

"Of course. You're the only friendship I've ever known." Fang looked over at me, fixing my eyes with a soft stare. When he smiled, I felt my heart begin to beat so loud the noise filled my ears. We shared a comfortably awkward moment before Fang looked away.

"Just be careful, Max," Fang said, breaking the silence. "I'm going to bed now. Wake me up right away if you need anything."

"Good night. Hand me my backpack, will you?"

When I took my journal out, I noticed the back half was completely ripped out.

"It was wet," Fang explained. "I had to take it out so it wouldn't ruin the rest. I didn't read it, I promise."

"I believe you."

Fang chuckled. "That's good."

"Go to sleep now, so I can write in private."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, lying down.

_Dear Diary,_

_Well, this kinda sucks. I'm as weak as crap and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm practically a baby right now to my friends._

_At least Fang is here…thank GOD. Getting scared isn't in my blood, but how am I freaking supposed to deal with almost losing Fang, AGAIN, and not be freaked out? Both times we've gotten separated have been my fault. I gotta start being more careful, or life might not be so forgiving next time. I gotta stop taking Fang for granted, because that's just messed up. Fang and I both know I would be screwed big-time without him, so I know he's doing his best not to lose me, but he's not a god. He can't make up for my stupidity while being productive at the same time._

_Something kinda weird…when Fang said "love", I freaked out a bit, I'll admit. I love him too, the same way he loves me. It feels like more than friendship now…friends don't need each other as much as we do. I have a feeling I won't like what's coming._

_I can see why guys think it's so hard to decipher the brain of a girl. I can't even decipher my own brain. The truth about Fang seems so close, yet so far away._

_All I know right now is that I'm not leaving him, and he's not leaving me. We'll be standing together to face whatever comes. _

_Love,_

_Max_

I wished I could've said that I fell asleep within seconds, but that was far from the truth. I was tired and in pain, but my mind was still in a light state of shock. It wasn't just shock that I was attacked, but I was also stunned in a good way that I got away at all. I wasn't ready to relive the situation, but I didn't like my chances of survival should it have happened again.

Eventually, the questions floating around in my mind overtook me, sending me off to sleep without missing a beat.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What are your thoughts on days that span multiple chapters, like this one? Like them? Hate them? Don't care?

Question of the Chapter 2: Do you want longer diary entries like these, or shorter and more compact ones?

Hmm, is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

I know this chapter was short, and sorry about that, but it was important. I've been waiting to use the "l-word" for a while now!

And by the way, when the romance starts, it'll pick up fast! I can't write a long story all about a slowly developing romantic relationship, so I have to start slowly with just friendship and build things up. If you've read any of my other work, though, you'll know that it'll pick up in a hurry!

One more thing - has anyone seen the music video for "Heroes" by Alesso feat. Tove Lo? It's pretty awesome...the parts where Tove has wings (she looks a lot like Max, just a bit older!) and flies off is awesome. It's creepily similar to an escape from the School...I'm serious, it's worth watching. And the song is pretty cool too.


	33. Chapter 30: Part 1

**Max's POV**

"Up and at 'em!" Ella called loudly, effectively waking me up. When she saw my eyes fly open in bewilderment, she grinned.

"Can you stand?" Fang asked me gently, kneeling in the leaves by my side. Even though I wasn't ready to wake up, the sun was already shining through the forest's low canopy.

"Yes," I said, immediately starting to get up.

"Not so fast," Fang told me, placing his hands on my shoulder blades to keep me down. "Let Iggy and I help you."

"What, am I not strong enough?" Ella whined.

Fang and Iggy ignored her as they knelt on either side of me. I wrapped an arm around each of them, and they supported me as I stood. When their grip loosened, my right leg felt fine when I put it down but my left immediately buckled. My knee flared in pain as I suppressed a scream.

Thankfully, Fang and Iggy were paying attention and caught me. "Let's put her down," Fang said. Despite my protests, Iggy complied and sat me back down.

"I guess that means no walking, Max," Iggy told me. Fang looked between us, his eyes eventually settling on me, giving me a pointed look suggesting he agreed with Iggy.

"Why?" I complained. "I'll make it through; just give me a walking stick."

Fang and Ella exchanged a glance before Ella addressed me. "That might actually work, since we were gonna spend the day at Lake Hollywood Park. It's only a few miles downtown, and we can use Iggy's car to drive once we get to the city."

"It's ten miles," Fang pointed out. "That's a long walk for Max."

"I'll be fine," I assured him, frustration creeping into my voice. "Someone give me a stick."

"I have to say no, at least for now. You're not walking ten miles if you can't even stand."

I glared at him. "I'll have a stick. That's not the same."

"Sorry, but I have to agree," Ella said, glancing at Fang. "Based on what I saw yesterday, you're nowhere near being able to walk one mile, much less ten."

"We're not doubting your strength, but it's our responsibility to protect you right now. Fang's your best friend. Ella's an aspiring doctor. Heck, I'm the son of a doctor. We're doing this for you," Iggy said firmly, taking me by surprise. He was still speaking casually, but he didn't crack a single joke. Iggy didn't speak with any sort of conviction very often, so I tended to listen when he did. "I can drive my car here, so Max doesn't have to walk," he added.

I sighed in relief, glad I didn't have to let my friends down. Going anywhere was slowing them down, but there was no way any of them would've been willing to leave me here alone. I'd almost forgotten we were only a quarter mile from a road.

"Let's go, Fang," Iggy told him, glancing at Ella. Fang shrugged and jogged with Iggy out of the forest and into the city.

When they were gone, Ella turned to me and grinned maniacally, placing her hands on her hips. "So, about last night…" she began. Uh-oh. That was never a good start. "That little scene with you and Fang? When you thought I was asleep? I wasn't really asleep," she admitted.

"Oh, jeez. Were you spying on us, or what?" I replied, wanting to talk about anything but what happened. I blushed slightly, embarrassed Ella heard everything we said.

"Did you have something to hide?"

"No!" I answered, far too quickly and urgently to be believable. "I swear, there's nothing I'm hiding right now."

"Uh-huh. Telling your best friend you love him isn't nothing, last I checked."

"You know what I meant!"

"Sure. The thing is, you don't use the l-word like that with friends. How many times do you see 'just friends' saying 'I love you' to each other? Never!"

"Now you've seen it once, Ella. Consider yourself lucky."

Ella shook her head. "I'm not just spazzing," she told me calmly. "You and Fang act way differently around each other now than you did three weeks ago, and it's definitely more intimate."

"Of course he's gonna be protective since I got attacked two days ago. It's not rocket science, Elly Bear."

"That's what Fang used to call me! Anyways, that's not all of it. Sure, you're both razzled, Fang is pissed, you're hurt, and nobody's really happy. But the way Fang looks at you…he's holding something back."

"Like what? Is he mad at me?" I asked, hoping he wasn't. He had every right to be, but it seemed unlike him in this situation.

Ella studied me. "I'm pretty sure you know he's not mad at you. Anyways, you know what I think he's holding back, but I'm really not sure. Fang's really hard to decode, y'know?"

I sighed, fiddling with a few strands of my dirtied hair. I really needed to wash up soon. "No offense, but if I can't see something in him, you probably can't."

"Maybe so," Ella said, "but you can't really tell anything by the way he looks at you. It takes a third person with Fang."

"You didn't seem to be making much progress either. All you told me was that he was holding something back, not what he was feeling."

"I know it's not much, but it looked like Fang wanted you. As in more than a friend. But I might be wrong. And keep in mind, Max, I'm just trying to help you. I don't like seeing you mad, or in pain, or anything like that. Most of all, Fang is not causing you pain on my watch."

"Thanks, but I don't believe you," I said with a note of finality.

Ella sighed. "That's fine. Don't say I didn't warn you, though."

Our conversation was interrupted by a loud whoop from Iggy, who was driving his convertible with the roof down. Fang was in the passenger's seat.

Once they walked over, Iggy studied us. "Is there something going on?"

"No, you dumbnut. Just help Fang carry Max," Ella said.

Iggy shrugged and knelt by my side. With Fang's help, he stood me up. They made sure I was stable before Fang gave me directions.

"Don't put any weight on your left foot. In fact, don't even let it touch the ground."

Despite rolling my eyes, I followed his directions as the four of us slowly made our way to the car. The boys set me down in the backseat. As soon as Ella put our stuff in the trunk and got buckled up next to me, Iggy hit the gas.

While he drove to the city, Ella pointed out to me oh-so-subtly that my clothes smelled awful. I shook my head in disbelief. After getting attacked, I was supposed to worry about my clothes? Definitely.

Ella made me agree to a compromise: we'd stop at a Starbucks in the city, and Ella would help me get changed in the bathroom. I agreed since I could actually have used a change of clothes. My current outfit was bloodied and torn.

Iggy entered a parking garage and parked his car. "We have one hour, folks, before we're hitting the park," he announced, looking at the sign displaying the parking rates. "If anyone needs any more, just alert me beforehand, capiche?"

With the boys' help, again, I limped along to Starbucks. The boys took me to the door of the bathroom before letting Ella help me to the toilet, where I sat down.

Ella fished through my backpack and brought out a clean pair of jeans and a yellow shirt. Her phone buzzed, and she took a second to check it. I stood up and took a step towards the sink, hoping to make it there without falling to inspire some confidence in Ella about my ability to walk.

No such luck. My left knee buckled two steps in, and I tripped forwards before I could catch myself. I nearly slammed my bandaged face into the door, but I managed to grab the handle just in time to keep myself from falling.

"Aah!" Ella exclaimed, dropping her phone and rushing to help me. She held my leg in place while I regained my balance, and acted as a crutch to help me back to the toilet. "Sorry about that. Why'd you stand up?" she asked me nervously, ashamed about letting herself get distracted.

"Getting paper towels. And it's fine; I shouldn't have done what I did." Just then, I realized my jaw had stopped hurting. I mean, it was still sore, but I could speak with minimal amounts of pain. That was a plus, one step towards liberation from my injuries.

"I'll do that! You should've asked," she said, grabbing a roll of paper towels. She ripped off about ten, wet them, and handed them to me. I took off my shirt and wiped my upper half down pretty well before putting my new shirt on. Seeing as it was ripped, Ella threw my old shirt away.

Onto the tricky part, now—the jeans.

"More paper towels?" I asked. Ella nodded and obliged, as I took my jeans off. I wiped my lower half down pretty well before picking up my new pair of jeans. I slowly slid them on, careful not to disturb my left knee. It wasn't exactly a success—the fabric repeatedly abraded my knee, causing a fair amount of pain—but Ella and I got the job done. I was all washed up and in a new outfit. The only part of me still dirty was my hair, but that was a problem for later. It was too risky to try and bend down over a sink with a badly sprained knee.

Ella and I left the bathroom and sat down with the boys at a table.

"You guys up for coffee? Everything's on me," Iggy offered.

Fang shrugged. "Why not? I'll have a pumpkin spice latte."

"Max? Ella?"

"I'll take a smoothie," I told him.

"The usual," Ella said.

When Iggy went to the counter to pay for our drinks, Ella explained to me that Iggy had taken her on countless dates to Starbucks back in Arizona. Every single time, Ella ordered a grande caramel frappuccino.

"You've never had one before?" Ella asked me, raising her eyebrows.

"Never even heard of it."

"How is that possible? Like, every girl drinks those things!"

"Hey, I was a little more occupied with staying safe. I didn't really have the time or money to get overpriced coffees," I pointed out.

Ella shifted uncomfortably. "True. Some time, by the way, you'll have to tell me more about your life at home."

"Yeah, sure. It wasn't all that interesting, I'm warning you," I said, not wanting to get into it right now.

"That's probably a good thing. By the way, were your parents just jerks when you messed up, or all the time?"

"Depends, what do you call 'messing up'?"

"Um, maybe smashing in a bumper?"

"Forget it. Putting down a cup too hard was enough to set my parents off," I said, sighing. Thank goodness those days were over.

"Are you serious?" Ella asked, her jaw dropping slightly. "That's freaking crazy. Even Fang's parents didn't do that."

"I just tried to stay out of their way. That's really all I could do, even though it usually didn't work."

"That must've sucked. Did you have any friends?" Ella asked.

"Nope. I do now, though, and that's all that matters."

Ella smiled. "I guess so. You'll always have us now."

"I know. You guys saved my ass huge time yesterday."

"Don't mention it. Mom and James aren't doctors so they can sit around and do nothing."

"They're still busy, though," I pointed out. "Even if what they're doing isn't urgent business."

"Drinks coming right up," Fang announced, pointing to Iggy, who was carrying a paper tray loaded with drinks.

"Here you go, Max, Ella," he said, unloading our cups onto the table. I couldn't tell what Iggy ordered, but it was tall and brown. So much narrowing down that did for me; every single coffee looked like that as far as I knew.

When I sipped the smoothie, I was in heaven.

I hadn't had anything that good since, well, forever. The only thing Fang and I ever drank was water. The smoothie's texture and sweetness felt so good after years of nothing but water.

Before I knew it, I drank the whole thing. It wasn't small, but I was just really thirsty. I looked around me, and Fang, Ella, and Iggy weren't even halfway done with their drinks.

"Let's hit it," Iggy said. "We can finish up the drinks in the car."

Fang and Iggy supported me while walking out of the cafe and to the parking garage. I felt significantly stronger than when I woke up, but I wasn't able to walk by myself yet. The boys set me down in the back seat and we were on our way.

Iggy took out his phone to get directions to the park. He told us it was going to be a fairly long drive with the Los Angeles traffic; he estimated it would take over an hour.

"What's Gazzy's new dog like?" Fang asked Iggy.

"She's a big one. Fluffy, white Malamute. Gazzy's playing with her whenever he's not blowing something up."

"When did he get her?" I asked.

"Last week. Gazzy got it from Dr. Martinez for his birthday, since she wanted him to enjoy things other than bombs. Turns out it works, since Gazzy's been obsessed with Akila lately. Best thing is she can forget about getting sick with Dr. Martinez down the road."

"Oh, that sounds fun."

"She sure is. Anything that can take a bomb out of the Gasman's hands for even a few hours is something special."

During the rest of the car ride, Iggy caught Fang up on the latest sports news. We had internet access, but Fang made a point of not getting hooked on checking scores. Apparently Fang's favorite football team, the Cardinals, were doing pretty well. He didn't seem very enthused to hear the news, though. I wasn't sure what was going through his mind, but for the most part, it wasn't football.

It was probably _me._

That idiot was undoubtedly still paranoid about my stupid injury. It was sweet, but there came a time when enough was enough. I wasn't an eggshell. I took out two full-grown men unarmed. Sure, I was an idiot, but I was fine now. It was bad enough I had to rely on him to walk; I didn't want to be a bother to him when I wasn't walking, too.

In short, I felt grateful, loved, annoyed, and insulted by Fang. Another day in the life of Maximum Ride.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What's your favorite Maximum Ride story on FFN? (Please don't say ANB, whether it's true or not. (Probably not.) I'm looking for recommendations. :P)

Another multi-part chapter, five parts. First two Max's POV, last three Fang's POV. Sorry to everyone who was against multi-chappie days...but I had this planned a while ago and I can't really change this chapter at this point.

I forgot this last chapter, but thanks a ton to **Tokoloshe Monster **for editing these past two chapters and helping improve the beginning of the story! She has a story which I'm sure some of you have read, Crash. If you haven't read it, I strongly recommend it!

Another huge thank you to **pepperpottz **for recommending the Piera Forde MR Youtube fan-made video series. I'm going through the videos, and loving them! They're pretty dang good for fan-made videos. A must-see for MR fans!

One last thing: I just posted a new story called "17 Stages of an Eighth Grade Relationship"! Title says it all. It's AU, AH, and definitely has Fax! I'd love it if you could check it out!


	34. Chapter 30: Part 2

600 reviews! Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed so far! You guys are the best...and didn't deserve the late update this week. On the bright side, updates should be regular going forwards as usual. (:

Random Quote of the Week: _"Those who make you cry don't deserve your tears, and those who do deserve them don't make you cry." -Gabriela Garcia Marquez_

* * *

**Max's POV**

Iggy pulled over close to the park within an hour and a half, as he promised. "Uh, guys? The park is a mile from here. How about I drop you guys off, go park, and then catch up?" Iggy proposed, looking at each of us in turn.

"That's a good idea," Ella said. "I'll stay with Iggy."

Fang raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. Iggy navigated the last mile of the city's traffic and dropped us off right at the park's entrance. With Ella's and Fang's help, I managed to hobble to a picnic bench a few hundred feet inside the gates. Once I was seated, the pair left Fang and me alone in the lush, green field. The sun was shining brightly, but thankfully there was a light breeze rippling through the air to keep us cool.

Fang turned to me. "I haven't had much time to talk to you in the past few days, but is everything okay?" he asked. Immediately, he winced. "Of course everything isn't. But I'm sure you're doing your best."

"Do you think I like needing help to walk? It sucks, big time."

"I've realized. You're cute when you're defensive."

I glared at him._ Cute? _Really, Fang? "Whatever. And before I forget, I'm sorry. I really am. You don't deserve to have to deal with this," I said, pointing to myself.

Fang held my gaze for a moment. "Don't say that. None of it was your fault.."

"Not everyone gets beaten up over something stupid like their diary."

"It wasn't stupid," Fang insisted. "We were just unlucky."

"And I had to drag Dr. Martinez into this too. She's busy, Fang. You told me she couldn't come visit because she had so much work this month."

"Listen, Max—"

"Don't you get it? I'm useless. All I ever do is screw us over. I'm better off dead," I said, bitterly.

Fang grabbed my shoulders and made me face him, causing me to roughly shove him off. "Don't _do _that," I hissed.

But Fang was undeterred. "You saved my life, Max. If it weren't for you, my life would be ten times worse than it is right now."

"You'd have less problems than you do now, that's for sure."

"If you think you're useless, think again. What girl can take out two armed men, run fifty miles, sing like an angel, and look good while doing it? Nobody. You know that."

"So what?"

"You're the only seventeen-year-old girl in the world who can do that. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I need you, Max. We all need you. We're all family now. It doesn't matter what we've done, it just matters where we are. And right now, the best place I can be is here with you." When he one-handedly wrapped me in a loose embrace, I didn't push him away this time.

I rested my head on Fang's chest, my frustration ebbing. "Thanks. You're an awesome friend, you know that?" Now, I felt guilty and disloyal for not trusting Fang to still love me in the first place.

"Yeah, I do," Fang said, matter-of-factly. I didn't expect anything different from him.

"Sorry if we're interrupting something," Iggy said, "but we're here now."

My head shot off Fang like it was fired from a cannon. "When did you guys get here?"

"Just now. I saw that Fang was giving you a lecture, but we were too far away to hear anything," Ella said.

_Thank goodness, _I thought. I assumed Fang was thinking the same. No need to let the Igster and Ella in on the sappy stuff Fang said.

It meant the world to me that someone cared about me that much. Fang needed me? I knew that, but I never quite wrapped my mind around it until now. Nobody in my life had ever wanted or needed me since Fang came along.

I also offhandedly noticed that Ella and Iggy were really good at concealing their 'engaged' status. They weren't doing anything differently, it just occurred to me then. It was clear they knew each other well, but I might not have even known they were romantically involved if they hadn't told me. Most engaged teenagers would've been constantly eating each other's faces, or even worse, but these two were mellow about it. All for the better. I couldn't stand PDA for the life of me.

"That didn't look good for you, though," Ella pointed out. "Snuggling at a picnic table? That's not sketchy at all. Like, not at all."

"Lay off her," Fang said dryly. "She's been having a rough day."

"I'm kidding! Sorry, Max," she said quickly.

"It's fine," I said through gritted teeth. I didn't need Fang defending me to one our best friends. Ella being annoying was the least of my concerns.

My priorities right now went something like this: Fang, health, necessities, and then friends. Ella and her relentlessness barely made the list, even though my priorities were probably messed up big-time.

"So, what's the plan?" Ella asked.

"Nothin' much," Iggy said. "I was gonna leave it up to you guys."

"Max?" Fang said.

"Don't ask me, I don't know squat about this park," I said.

Iggy sighed. "Since nobody's taking charge, I guess that means I have no choice. First up today is the Hollywood sign," he announced. "It's almost a half mile from here, so Fang and I will help Max along. There's no rush. Mind carrying the water bottles and backpacks, Ells?"

"Sure thing," she said, taking the supplies from her fiancée.

"Let's hit it!" Iggy whooped. We started walking slowly, but as I got used to using my right foot effectively, we picked up the pace to normal walking speed.

the time we reached a point where the sign was visible, beads of sweat had formed on the boys' faces. They were breathing heavily from exhaustion.

"Man, you weigh a ton," Iggy said. "What have you been eating, rocks?"

"Why, is your head missing some?" I retorted.

Iggy shrugged. "Probably," he said, sitting me down on one side of a small picnic table. "You feelin' alright?"

"I'm good."

"We all know you're not, but good thing you're confident. You'll be running ultramarathons in no time I'm sure."

"Sorry to break it to you guys," Ella said, with a sigh, "but it'll probably be two days before Max can walk normally, if I'm right. Considering my mom is a vet and my father-in-law is a doctor, I think I know what I'm saying."

"I'm not questioning your credentials, but is there any way Max will be able to walk by tomorrow?" Fang asked. I knew it was for my benefit. He didn't like seeing me weak either, and it wasn't because he wanted a drill sergeant as his best friend. No, he didn't want me to be unhappy. I knew it from his eyes, which I'd learned to read so well.

"Not without a crazy amount of painkillers, which I don't have," Ella said.

"If you think it'll work, we can stop by a Duane Reade on the way back," Iggy offered.

"It's fine," I said. "It's no big deal." Lie. Iggy had already helped us enough, and I felt a little guilty about using his money so much, especially considering he was out of a job. But I knew that Iggy wouldn't have it any other way.

"Funny. We're definitely stopping," Iggy said.

I waved my hand dismissively, careful not to bump my arm against anything. I was still wearing bandages all over my face, and that didn't exactly make for a good springboard in a debate.

But even though my face and leg were covered in bandages, my body as a whole was feeling much better. My jaw barely hurt at all, and my arm was making great progress. They'd both be back to normal within a week at most.

"Guys, check out the sign!" Ella said, staring in wonder at the gargantuan Hollywood sign stretched across the mountain.

"Wait, we walked here to see that? What's the big deal?" I asked.

Ella stared at me. "The legendary Hollywood sign is no big deal? It's, like, the representation of all things pop culture!"

"Oh. Right."

Ella rolled her eyes. "You don't watch enough TV, Max. The sign is in, like, everything."

"Excuse me if I don't have cable from the middle of nowhere."

"No excuses for being out of the loop. But whatever. Just enjoy the sign, make out with Fang, whatever."

Naturally, I ignored her. Fang did, too.

"This is kinda boring," Iggy admitted. "But I'm sure you guys will like the lake in the middle of the park! It's called Lake Hollywood for the lake and the sign."

"Sounds good," Fang said.

"Why not?" Ella said.

I shrugged. "Sure."

"Let's hit it," Iggy said. He and Fang, once again, helped me stand up and walk to the lake.

Unfortunately, it was a good mile away. We had to stop midway through for a water break. Fang and Iggy decided to switch sides, since their Max-side arms were getting tired.

To my surprise, the boys pulled through and got me to the lake. Ella, who was walking behind us, was also getting tired from carrying our backpacks, so when we stopped several hundred feet from the lake we took a well-deserved break.

When I saw the lake, I immediately knew our walk was worth it. The glittering blue water rippling currents from the lake's center was a really nice sight. The sun was starting on its way down, and the sunlight's rippling effect reminded me of my first days with Fang. I could tell he was thinking the same thing, since he immediately looked me in the eye and smiled. We couldn't cuddle up like we did last time with Iggy and Ella around, unfortunately, since it would raise all kinds of questions from Ella.

"I'm no expert on telepathy," Iggy said, "but there's something going on. Spill."

"It's nothing," Fang replied. "Max and I were just remembering how we slept by a lake like this a month ago."

"That's weird. Aren't you aquaphobic?" Ella asked.

"It's not like it was my choice," he said. "This girl here made me. As if that wasn't enough, she pushed me into the water in the morning."

I started laughing, recalling the memory. Fang's face as he was falling backwards into the water was beyond priceless. Sure, it was mean, but it wasn't anything Fang couldn't handle. He was probably used to tons of teasing from the Flock.

When I told them, Ella and Iggy found it just as funny as I did, collapsing into fits of laughter. Fang seemed resigned to the humiliation; he didn't even try to combat it. With a sigh, he rolled his eyes and waited for the cloud of laughing gas to pass.

Sometime during his fit of laughter, Iggy seemed to have seen something important. "Hey, there's a boating kiosk on the other side. Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Hell yeah!" Ella cried, immediately.

Despite his aquaphobia, Fang agreed to go along. "Why not?"

"Max?" Iggy asked.

"I'm in."

"Let's go, then! Elly, can you go ahead and check when the next slot is?"

"Sure," Ella responded, standing up. I opened our bag of water and took out a large, blue bottle. I drank half of it quickly before handing it to Fang, who finished it off.

"Toss me one, will you?" Iggy asked me. I tossed the battle with my left arm. As expected, I felt little pain. I didn't suffer the brunt of the attack, but it was in severe pain two days ago. Fang knew it too, since I didn't wince when I picked up the bottle. He was really good at reading others' physical pain. I knew where it came from-his days with Angel. He probably had to protect Angel from their parents time and time again.

We relaxed for a few minutes as we watched Ella walk up to the ticket booth. There were no rowboats at the dock, but several were roaming the lake. There was no line at the booth, but the queue very well could've been filled with the people waiting elsewhere.

Ella returned and knelt down in front of us and caught her breath. "Good news and bad news," she announced. "Good news is that there's a slot today."

"The bad news is?" Iggy asked.

"It's at 10:00, in about four hours, and we're ten miles from the sleeping spot."

Iggy waved his hand. "That's no biggie. You guys up for it?"

Fang and I looked at each other and shrugged. "Yeah," Fang said.

"Okay! What are we doing until then, guys? It's four hours at least," Iggy said.

"What about eating?" I suggested. "I'm starving."

"You got it," he said. "Don't hesitate to speak up whenever you need food. Girls are always grumpy when they're hungry. I've learned that the hard way."

Ella giggled and punched his arm. "Hey! I'm not that bad."

Fang tilted his head, as if pondering the situation, while in reality he knew exactly what he was going to say. "You kinda are. You nearly blew up Iggy's closet when he took your coffee."

"That was one time, okay?" she protested, still smiling. "And Iggy, that was mean."

"Not as mean as what you did."

"True, true," Ella said, grinning evilly.

"What did you do?" I asked, completely clueless.

"Ella wouldn't kiss him for two weeks," Fang explained. "Killed the poor guy."

"That's not entirely true," Iggy countered. "I actually had a productive two weeks. I didn't get fired from anything."

"That's because you didn't have the motivation to pull any stunts."

"Maybe I should steal Ella's coffee more often," Iggy mused.

"Fine then, here's your ring back," Ella said triumphantly.

"I hate to interrupt your lover's spat," I said, "but someone's hungry."

"Ah, sorry. Just a sec," he said, pulling out a gray, cube-shaped, foil structure.

"Is that your definition of a bowl?" I asked.

Iggy laughed. "Nah. Just watch me."

"Wait, you're cooking?"

"Why not?"

"Isn't that, like, not allowed or something?"

Iggy waved his hand. "I'll never get caught with this baby here. It'll be quick, anyways."

Just then, I noticed a team of security guards a few hundred feet away walking towards us. Uh-oh.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: It's a long-shot, but what do you think of someone (namely, Angel) staying with Max and Fang for good? Most of you probably won't like it, and not surprisingly, but I just thought I'd put it out there.

I just finished BoO, and I LOVED the last 100 or so pages! The second half of this was almost as good if not as good as the 2nd half of the Last Olympian, and that's saying a lot. The battles were AWESOME! Any PJO fans here who want to talk about the book, just hit me up!

Please don't forget to review! They've been going down the past few chapters, can we get it back up?


	35. Chapter 30: Part 3

Random Quote of the Week: _"Got dynamiiiiiiiiiiite!" -Demi Lovato, from "Got Dynamite"_

Warning: horrible pun ahead!

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**Fang's POV**

"Iggy!" Max whispered. "Put that away!"

I immediately went on alert and did a quick three-sixty. At first glance, I saw nothing out of the ordinary, but after a few seconds, I saw a trio of security guards on their way towards us. They didn't look happy.

As they approached, we braced for the worst. All of us tried to look casual; Ella took a sip of her water bottle, Iggy took out a loaf of bread, and Max, well, sat there.

I leaned across the table. "What's up, Max?"

"Nothing much, you?" she replied, obviously getting my point. She had to be doing something normal to not look suspicious.

The security guards were just fifty feet away. Max and I awkwardly continued our small talk as they approached.

As they passed, all of us froze for a split second, expecting the guards to stop. But they kept walking past us as if nothing had happened.

When they were out of earshot, Iggy whispered, "That was close."

"It sure was," Max said wearily. "Got any food that doesn't need a hi-tech portable stove?"

"You saw the bread, and I have some lettuce, tomatoes, condiments, and turkey in my pack."

"And it didn't occur to you to say anything?" Max replied.

Iggy shrugged. "Thought you'd go for a barbecue instead, but I guess that's too risky here. I'm all about risks, but I don't plan to screw the night up."

"You better not," Ella muttered, before we all burst into laughter at the double-meaning Iggy may or may not have intentionally added. Knowing him, I figured the odds of a coincidence were hovering at a fat zero percent.

"Anyways," Iggy said, "here's the food. It's all in the bag. Go make me a sandwich."

"Excuse me?" Max said.

"You heard me," Iggy said, a grin hidden behind his fake serious face. It wasn't fooling Max, but she wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to put Iggy in his place. She reached across the table and socked him in the shoulder, hard. Iggy winced in legitimate pain and slumped back.

"Jeez, you punch hard," he said, a second later.

"You don't say. That's what happens when you make sexist comments like that, Ig," Max said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Not to self, then: only mess with Ella and Nudge."

Ella raised her hands in mock surrender. "Okay then, you know I'll just do what I did last time."

Iggy groaned. "Just Nudge then, I guess."

"If you do that, I'm still getting revenge on her behalf," Ella said.

"Then who can I prank?"

"Not any of us girls," Max said. "Stick to Fang and Gazzy."

Iggy grinned. "You got it," he said, laying the final slice of bread on his sandwich. Using both hands, he flattened it and downed it in three bites.

"What's with the appetite? I would've guessed you were the one with nothing to eat," Max said.

"I can't live on nothing like you guys. What kind of people can go eleven hours without eating anything and still run fifty miles?"

"We're still not sure," Max said. "I think we're both used to not being given much food, so we've adapted. I'm not sure how two cans of beans a day supplies energy for fifty miles, though."

"Neither am I," Ella said. "That goes against everything I've learned about calorie intake. I'll have to ask Mom about this."

When Max was done making her sandwich, after a fair amount of struggling to put the mayonnaise on, she one-upped Iggy and took her sandwich down in two bites.

"I guess dinner's done, then," Iggy said contentedly, after Ella and I finished eating. "Anyone care to throw an idea out there for the next almost-four hours?"

"How about we go grab the painkillers now? It won't take long," I suggested.

"Good idea," Ella said quickly. "I'll wait with Max here." Max gritted her teeth, but she didn't say anything.

After Ella gave us instructions on what to buy, Iggy and I jogged out to the drug store and returned within two hours.

"With great speed comes great need to drink water," Iggy said, picking up a bottle and collapsing on the bench.

"Here, Max," I said, handing her the bottles. "One pill from the red, and three from the white."

"Thanks a ton, Fang. I owe you one," she said gratefully as she plopped the pills into her mouth.

"Don't thank me; Iggy was the one who paid."

"Thanks, too, Iggy," Max said, with a laugh.

"Any time. And remind me to give Fang twenty bucks back. I cheaped out on this one, so he had to loan me some."

"Are you high? You already bought us food and helped pay for my painkillers, and you think we'll let you pay us back?" Max asked, raising her eyebrows at Iggy questioningly.

"Jeez, Max. I'm trying to be nice." Iggy raised his hands in surrender, his shoulder still likely reeling from Max's punch.

"Well, I'm trying to be reasonable."

"Whatever. Note to self for the thousandth time: whether I'm right or wrong, I'll always lose to girls in arguments."

"And it's not like you've been raking it in lately," I added. "Getting fired twice in one summer isn't a good start. And it's not like you were president or anything; you worked at a coffee shop and a Dunkin Donuts."

"Bro, are you calling me poor? Christmas gifts alone can get me through the year. I'm just saving up to get a Kawasaki Ninja 300. I'll be damned if I think getting my motorcycle a few months earlier is more important than helping a friend."

When I came to think of it, Iggy really was a selfless guy. If you saw him at the dinner table, you would've thought differently. When he was hungry, he ate anything and everything without even looking up. But he knew when it was time to step back and take a shot for a friend.

Even if he couldn't keep a job for the life of him, I could tell Iggy was maturing as he entered the adult world. When I ran away, we were both just a few weeks into our first jobs. Iggy got fired within a month of starting both his jobs this summer, and he was still nonchalantly dropping decent sums of money for us. He'd been with us for, what, two days? And he already burned up at least a hundred.

"Thanks, Iggy," Max said. "You're a life-saver."

Iggy waved his hand dismissively. "So what are we doing next?"

"How about we just relax?" Ella said. "It's already getting dark, and it'll only be another hour until we should head over."

"Sounds dope," Iggy replied, already lying down in the grass. "Relaxing it is."

I moved over to lie by Max, not caring what Ella thought of it. I put an arm around her, and she rested her head on my shoulder. Max's warmth and deep breathing almost rocked me to sleep, but I managed to stay awake for the entire hour.

"Let's hit it!" Iggy whooped, launching himself off of the ground. I swear, that boy was never tired... It was beyond crazy. I mean, what kind of eighteen-year-old guy wasn't dying for sleep 24/7?

We walked over to the ticket booth, and Ella paid the collector a few bills to get us through.

"You four will be the only ones on the water tonight," he said. "I trust you'll be able to handle yourselves safely. You have until midnight. Remember, the park staff is not responsible for injuries or lost items."

"Sounds good," Iggy said. "Let's go."

Since the rowboats only fit two people apiece, we decided that Ella and Iggy would go together, and Max and I would.

"Don't get any ideas, you two," Ella warned us.

"Same goes for you, Igs," Max said.

He shrugged. "Whatever," he said, leading Ella to one of the boats. Without any people nearby, the lake looked extremely still, like every paddle stroke we made would cause the whole lake to ripple.

Max and I got into one of the boats. After I put a life jacket on, we took our places side-by-side on the boat's seat.

We rowed gently, our every breath audible in the silent night. Even though we were in the heart of Los Angeles, somehow it was extremely peaceful and quiet. The city's white noise was merely a faint hum in the background.

"It's a full moon," Max said. "Remember our third night?"

"Wouldn't forget it for anything."

"Yeah, but this is even better. We're actually on the water, not just beside it." Max cringed. "Sorry, I know you're aquaphobic. But you have to admit this is pretty nice."

"Definitely."

We rowed on in silence, taking in the serene setting. Max needed a good dose of something relaxing, badly, after getting attacked two days ago. This definitely qualified as relaxing, not just by our standards.

I tried to suppress it, but I was still ready to bash Ortiz's and the other guy's brains out. I felt better knowing they were either gravely injured or in the hands of the Las Vegas Police Department, but I wouldn't be satisfied until I wrung their necks with my own hands.

But I was willing to let go of the adrenaline rush for one a while so I could enjoy the time with Max. What was done was done, as upset as it made me. Max came out victorious, for the most part, so she deserved my full attention. Not her potential captors.

"You know, I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that we met in the first place," Max said.

"Same here. I never even tried, since I know it'd be no use. And don't think about what could've happened, just think about what's happening now. You're relaxing with your extremely hot best friend, what could be better?"

Max laughed and punched me in the arm. Under normal circumstances, that would've been perfectly fine and expected.

But not on a small, teetering rowboat.

When Max leaned over, it tipped the boat towards my side. I tried to lean back the other way, but all it seemed to do was speed up our boat's tipping. My heart sped up in fear as the boat dumped us overboard.

I didn't even think to be grateful that all of our stuff was with Ella and Iggy since I was focused on making sure Max was all right. I barely even noticed the water's temperature, despite its coldness making my muscles feel like they were being repeatedly shocked by a taser of ice.

It turned out Max staying dry was the least of our concerns. I was stuck in the water too, with a capsized boat five feet to my left.

Max was underwater somewhere, potentially trapped, and still in great pain. "ELLA! IGGY! GET OVER HERE, RIGHT NOW!" I called immediately. I faintly heard them reply, _Coming!_, but I was more focused on forming a plan to save Max.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the thoughts aside and took off my life jacket.

_My life jacket. _Now that I thought about it, Max never put on a life jacket. I probably took the only one.

I swam around in the area around the boat, desperately searching for Max. After a minute, I found out in a rather unfortunate manner; Max kneed me square in the chest, sending a jolt of pain through my rib cage. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pushed upwards, but we didn't move an inch. Something was tying her down, I knew that.

Ninety seconds. Max had been under for a minute and a half. Humans could hold their breaths for no longer than three minutes. Max had a minute and a half to live unless I managed to save her.

That meant that I had exactly a minute and a half to find whatever was holding Max down, get rid of it, hoist Max up, and perform CPR on her. I didn't like the odds.

I was a horrible swimmer, so I was already at a disadvantage. I was also pretty bad with knots; that was Gazzy's job. I didn't know how to do CPR, so that was another problem. Great.

Our only hope was Ella. She was the only one of us who could save Max.

I surfaced and took a breath, just realizing how something so simple was likely to irreversibly shatter my heart by taking my best friend's life.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: With thirty seconds left on her life clock, will Max live or die? You know, there's only so much good luck a person can have...and this story is getting kinda long now...so I think you know what I'm suggesting.

Question of the Chapter 2: Have you forgotten about Iggy's pun yet?

On another completely unrelated note, I might change my username to heartofglass99 soon, so if you see that name uploading a chapter to ANB, please don't be creeped.


	36. Chapter 30: Part 4

Psych...the story's not ending soon! I wrote that it'd be 70+ chapters earlier, but I don't blame you if you forgot.

And 650 reviews! We're halfway to the goal I set a while back!

To everyone who celebrates it, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, PEOPLE! For all fellow students reading this, hope you're all having wonderful breaks!

Random Quote of the Week: _"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I" -Nicki Minaj, in "Turn Me On"_

Real Random Quote of the Week: _"So tell me what you want, what you really really want, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really really really wanna" -Spice Girls, in "Wannabe"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

I took a deep breath and dove under again, ignoring my aquaphobia. I was too focused and panicked for a childish fear like that to set in.

I searched the water beneath Max's feet, feeling around blindly with my arms. I couldn't feel anything keeping her down. In a moment of panic, I swam up and shoved the boat forwards. When my hands touched the bottom of the boat, I felt a few strands of hair. I got the sense that Max's hair was caught in a misplaced bundle of ropes attached to the bottom of the boat that were probably supposed to be used for docking.

Not thinking, I grabbed her hair and pulled as hard as I could. When I felt Max breaking free, I exhaled for the first time in what felt like forever. After getting Max out from under the boat, I hoisted her up and pushed her over the side of the boat, between the seats, careful not to tip it.

I climbed in after her, with no idea of what to do. Ella and Iggy were rowing furiously, but they were a minute away at best. I did what came to mind first.

I pressed my lips to Max's. Before I remembered what to do, since my brain was blanking at the moment, I noticed that they tasted a little salty. _No duh, _I thought. She was just in the water.

I pinched Max's nose and breathed a deep breath into her. When I felt her chest rise, I breathed again. I repeated the pattern until Ella got there. Deep breath, mouth, exhale. Deep breath, mouth, exhale.

"Fang! Let her go and jump over here!" Ella yelled. I did as she said, landing next to Iggy in their thankfully sturdier boat. Careful not to tip our boat, Ella jumped next to Max and looked her over. I held my breath as Ella's weight rocked the boat, but thankfully Ella managed to prevent it from tipping. After Ella pressed down on Max's chest several times, causing her to cough up water, Ella breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness. She'll be fine. She just passed out from lack of oxygen, but her systems are functioning properly and everything. We just need to get to shore now. But sometime soon, Max will need to see a hospital. She can pretend to be me," Ella said confidently.

I mulled it over for a minute, not sold on the idea of getting ourselves involved with a hospital. "I'll think about it," I decided.

"Fang, we have no choice. Max's lungs can still fill with water well after almost drowning."

Going to a hospital was an awful idea, but Ella was right in that we had no choice. Our odds of succeeding were high enough to make the risk well worth it. "Fine," I said, looking down.

As Iggy and I rowed back, I couldn't help but wonder how life always managed to screw us over and save us at the last minute. First, Max and I were both desperate with nothing to lose. Bam, we met. Next, Max got attacked. The douchebag tripped and Max got away. Just now, Max got trapped underwater. With less than a minute left, I figured things out and Max was saved.

I was grateful about the "save us" part, but why did we always end up in high-pressure situations? Why couldn't we, like, just break a bone or something safer like that? Sure, those hurt, but they wouldn't threaten our lives or anything.

As we dragged Max onto the dock, the ticket seller eyed us suspiciously. "What's going on, kids?"

"Those two clowns fell in," Iggy said. "She fell asleep on the boat, so we have to carry her," he added, motioning to Max. Not a bad lie.

He grumbled something under his breath and went back into his booth to wait for his shift to end. He probably heard me scream for Ella and Iggy and assumed there was something going on. Iggy and I carried Max fifty feet away from the lake and set her down in the grass.

I immediately knelt down to her right and inspected her. Max looked the same as she did when she fell in, but most of her hair was ripped badly, her bandages came off, and she was soaking wet.

"Can you dry her off?" I asked Ella. "I don't want her to get sick."

"Sure thing. Look away, boys," she replied. Iggy and I complied and stared over the beautiful lake which nearly took Max's life. Now that the wind had picked up a little, the lake looked far more ominous than serene, as if it was daring me to test it again.

"I'm done now. You guys can look," Ella said. When we turned around, Ella added, "Did you sneak any peeks, Fang?"

"No! What do you think I am, a pervert?"

"Pretty much. After eleven years of best friend exposure to Iggy, it'd be crazy to expect anything else of you," Ella told me.

"Whatever."

"By the way, were you making out with Max on the boat or what?" Ella asked me, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You know I wasn't. You also know that I don't know how to CPR," I said.

"Then what were you doing?"

"Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

Ella laughed. "You have to pump the water out first! That's kinda cute, though."

"What?"

"That your first instinct is to get in on some action with Max."

"Shut up! I was just trying to, you know, save her life."

"Have you heard of Sleeping Beauty?" she asked me, seemingly changing the subject.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, she was woken up from her eternal sleep by a kiss from her soul mate, so…I think you know what I'm suggesting."

"Don't say that! Max isn't going to die," I said, my voice tight and hands clenched.

She paled. "That's not what I meant, I swear! Anyways, since we're going to be here for a while since we can't carry Max two miles back to the car, can you go grab some coffee so we don't fall asleep?" she asked Iggy.

"Sure thing," he said, jogging off once Ella handed him a wad of bills.

After he left, Ella opened up her bag and fished out the disinfectants and bandages. "I'll bandage her up again real quick," she told me.

Ella opened up a small, square package and took out a thin disinfectant wipe. She wiped Max's face down and pulled a wad of gauze and bandages from her backpack to bandage Max's face.

"I wish mom was here," Ella grumbled. "She could do this in seconds."

"Just focus. You'll do great," I assured her. A minute later, Ella stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Huh, that actually turned out pretty well," she said proudly. "Maybe I do have some hope for medical school after all."

"I'm sure you will. Just put that you're Dr. Martinez's daughter on your application, and nobody will reject you. Besides, you just saved Max's life. If that's not enough to impress colleges, I don't know what is."

"I know, but that's one instance. I wanna get in with my own merit, not my mom's," she said, fiddling with another packet of disinfectant wipes. She cursed under her breath as she removed what was left of Max's old bandages before disinfecting her leg wound.

After applying the gauze and cloth tape, I told her, "Nice job. Your mom couldn't have done better herself." It wasn't much, but we both knew that was as close as I was going to get to a sincere compliment. She knew me too well to need more.

"Thanks," she said, not taking her eyes off of Max's leg. Finally, after laying another few tapes, she rolled down Max's pants. "She's probably conscious right now, just asleep. She should wake up in a few hours, hopefully by," she said, checking her watch, "five in the morning or so. That means we gotta find a way to get her to the car."

"If you can carry the bags another mile, Iggy and I can take Max," I said, not fully believing it. I was tired myself, so carrying Max two miles was going to be difficult. Maybe I'd feel more energized after a power nap and a coffee.

"We both know that'd be a stretch," Ella said. "But for what it's worth, get some rest now. Even if it's just half an hour."

I shrugged, my eyes already drooping. "All right."

When my head hit the grass, I was out within seconds.

* * *

Actual Real Random Quote of the Week (This one's the last one, I promise!): _"I'll run away with your footsteps, I'll build a city that dreams for two, and if you lose yourself, I will find you" - Zedd ft. Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant, in "Find You"_

Question of the Chapter: How would you rate your attractiveness from one to ten?

...

...

...

Just kidding. Hey, I'm in a joking mood now! Anyways, I hope you answered ten since you're beautiful. Yes, I'm looking at you.

Real Question of the Chapter: Did you think I was serious with the last question?

On a completely random note, this will probably be the last multi-part chapter in a while.

I've just seemed to notice that the story's finally getting good - action at last! Thanks a ton for being so patient for 30 long chapters, guys.

Another random note: The review bunnies are awesome! Loving them! Look on my profile if you don't know what it is. (:

Including this time, I've used the word 'random' 6 times in the two A/N's combined this chapter. Just a random (7 now) fact!

Oh, if anyone didn't feel like picking apart my new username, it's heart of glass 99. A heart of glass is one that breaks easily. It's also the name of a Blondie song, lol. It fits me perfectly.

Can we get some long and funny reviews? I know I'm being awfully picky, but...things have been rough lately for me. You guys are always the best at cheering me up! (:


	37. Chapter 30: Part 5

Random Quote of the Week:_ "But you're so hypnotizing, you got me laughing while I sing, you got me smiling in my sleep" -Demi Lovato, from "Catch Me"_

If you haven't noticed by now, I've been in a Demi Lovato mood the past few weeks!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Yo, sleepyhead. Time to wake up," Iggy said, shaking my shoulder. He stood over me, holding a tray of coffee. Ella was right next to him with a cup of her own.

I blinked a few times and sat up. "How long was I out?"

"Just under an hour," Ella told me. "But we gotta get going now. Drink the coffee, stretch, whatever, but it'll be midnight soon."

"Got it," I said. I stood up and saw Max about ten feet from me, still unconscious.

"She's fine," Ella assured me, sending my worry. "Relax."

"I _am _relaxed," I said, stretching my arms. I jogged a few hundred feet and back, and did a few more arm and leg stretches since I'd need to be carrying Max.

After I finished stretching, I accepted the coffee from Iggy and downed it within seconds.

"Actually," Iggy said, "Max isn't conscious, so we probably should alternate fireman's carries or something. She can't keep her arms around anything right now."

I shrugged. "I'll go first," I said, kneeling down. Iggy helped prop Max on my shoulder, and I made sure she was secure before standing up. Max was pretty light, so I didn't think I'd have too much trouble carrying her. Of course, I couldn't take her to the car by myself, but I figured I could take her far enough for Iggy to make it the rest of the way back.

I walked, with Iggy close behind me to catch Max in case she fell, and Ella in front of me to lead the way. My arms and shoulder began to tire after about a thousand feet, but I pushed on. At times, Iggy helped stabilize Max's body so she wouldn't fall off. Not that she was close to falling, since I was trying my very hardest to keep her balanced, but I was still tired. My muscles were looser than they should've been for a task like this, my eyes were heavy, and my brain wasn't functioning at top speed. Even though I finished a coffee minutes ago, I was living on minimal amounts of sleep. I woke up early this morning (thanks, Ella) and had nothing but a short power nap since.

"Bro, you're done," Iggy said, after about half a mile. I pressed on, not wanting to relent. There should've been no reason I couldn't have pushed on. After he realized I was ignoring him, Iggy said, "You're gonna drop Max if you keep going. Her leg's still banged up." Despite my concerns, I continued to ignore him until he moved in front of me and waved his arms. "Dude, just stop!"

"No—I'm—fine," I wheezed between breaths.

"Give it up already. You can't even say three words without coughing and grunting. This isn't a matter of manliness. All three of us, plus Max, know that you're stronger, quicker, whatever than I am. You can carry her again later, when you're less tired. C'mon, man. Do it for Max," Iggy said, waving his arms around. Ella was standing next to him, amused by her fiancée's exasperated tirade, but she motioned for me to set Max down.

Finally giving up, I sighed, turned around, and knelt down. Iggy helped me set Max on the ground so I could catch a breath. Ella tossed me a water bottle and I drank half of it.

After I finished and gave Ella her bottle back, I did a few shoulder stretches to loosen up for my second leg. I jogged several hundred feet and back to begin circulating the lactic acid in my right upper body.

"Ready?" Iggy asked, kneeling down. I nodded and stood beside Max. After gently heaving her atop Iggy's right shoulder, I offered Iggy a helping hand up. With Ella's help, Iggy was up and running, nah, more like walking, within seconds.

Unfortunately, Iggy didn't last nearly as long as I did. Before we covered a quarter mile, Iggy announced that he was too tired to continue and set Max down gently on the grass. After he had a sip of water, he told us his plan.

"So, I'm cooked. Fang is mostly cooked. Ella was never in the frying pan to begin with," Iggy said. "We're about a quarter mile from the gates, so if Fang takes her the rest of the way, I'll hail a cab and we'll be at a hospital in no time. I might be too tired to carry a girl that's younger yet more muscular than me, but I'm not too tired to drive."

"Iggy, we don't need to drive. It's a taxi," Ella reminded him.

"Oh, right."

Ella sighed. "Too bad, since I need hours for my permit anyways," she said. "Actually, they won't count. I'm legally required to drive with a responsible adult, and we don't have any of those here."

"Hey, what about me?" I defended.

"If you're going to be fussing over Max the whole ride back, you don't qualify as responsible," she said, laughing despite having bags underneath her eyes.

"Let's just go," I suggested warily.

By the time we made it out of Lake Hollywood Park, my shoulder felt ready to explode. Iggy was meekly offering to help me, but we both knew I was a better bet than him at this point, both strength-wise and motivation-wise.

"You can put her down now," Iggy said, when we neared the road. I did so and turned around to look at the park. I sighed. Such a beautiful place, ruined by one stupid mistake.

Iggy walked to the sidewalk and waved his arms in an effort to hail a cab. Within three minutes, a yellow taxi pulled up by the sidewalk. Iggy spoke briefly with the driver before motioning for me to follow him. I picked Max up bridal-style and walked to the cab. After making sure she was secure and buckled up, I buckled myself up.

The drive to the hospital was uneventful, sans a wave of frustration emanating from our local pyromaniac.

"No, you make a right, then a left!" Iggy cried.

"A right? When?" he asked.

"Right…now! Turn! Oh, man. You just missed it. Now we have to go in a loop just to get back here," Iggy said, exasperatedly.

Eventually, after Ella and I had gotten our money's worth in entertainment as well as mileage, we finally arrived at the garage.

When we neared the lowest level of the garage, Iggy suddenly stopped. "Wait a minute," he said. "Where's Max?"

I looked around, uselessly, as realization dawned on me. "No!" I yelled, running out of the garage. With Iggy and Ella trailing behind me, I ran down the street the way we came.

I wouldn't have caught the taxi under any normal circumstances, but Los Angeles wasn't like most cities. There were traffic lights all over the place, which slowed down traffic badly even at midnight.

I ran down the sidewalk, my adrenaline returning to me. I didn't even think about the inevitable crash I was going to endure soon; I was too worried about Max. What if the taxi driver was corrupt? What if he was ticked at Iggy and wanted revenge by attacking his friend? And worst of all, how did I _freaking _forget about her?

As I looked down the street to the red light a thousand feet from me, I saw it—he taxi that looked identical to the one we rode in. It had the same ad displayed on its hood. Even though there were plenty of them in the city, it seemed unlikely to me that one would be in the right spot and going in the right direction unless it was the taxi I was looking for.

I chased after it, pushing pedestrians aside, coming as close as fifty feet before the light turned green again. The taxi driver continued down the street until it was out of my sight. I relentlessly chased after it. But the taxi was gone—even with red lights, the taxi was much faster than me.

When the taxi was well beyond my eyesight, I heard a loud crash in the distance in front of me. I picked up the pace, the chill trickling up my spine growing colder and colder.

With Iggy and Ella behind me, I approached the site of the crash. Hundreds of other pedestrians were crowding around nearby, but I pushed through them all.

When I made it to the front of the crowd, I saw the source of the crash—a taxi was lying sideways in the road, with its side slammed in, and a car on its right had its front pushed in hard. My heart crawled into my throat. The taxi could've easily been the one with Max in it. It was the right distance away from where I was when the crash happened. It sounded too horrible to be true.

I jumped up on a backed-up taxi to get a better view of the situation, but I slipped on the roof and tumbled down. I landed hard on the asphalt, cursing as my heels buckled.

With difficulty, I stood up and looked into the taxi. I gasped. Max was inside, asleep across the seats. I tugged at the door handle, but it was locked and the driver was too focused on finding a route around the collision he somehow didn't hear me. I banged on the window, but the driver ignored me.

Just then, the taxi started moving. I tried to keep up with it, but there were too many people in the way. I watched in horror as it made a turn and drove off.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: How screwed is Fang on a scale of 1-10? 1 being perfectly fine and 10 being down for the count.

Question of the Chapter #2: If Max gets saved, what will save her? Who do you think will be the hero(ine) if Max is saved?

Can we get to 700 reviews this chapter? That'd be really awesome! And crazy, but isn't it a given that anything having to do with this story will be crazy?


	38. Chapter 30: Part 6

To Hermionehp135, since your PM's are disabled: I'm actually not British, I live in America. I just post around noon to have something to look forwards to during the day in reading reviews!

I took out my calculator and calculated how screwed Fang is based on your reviews, and I got a 9 out of 10. I'm glad I'm not him right now! (I counted all 100000s and anything else above 10 as just 10 to keep things a little sane.)

And thanks for 700 reviews! This has been another of my goals, and it's been officially reached. **maximumridetothemax**, interestingly, left review #700 on Chapter 6! Thanks mrttm, and to everyone else too!

Random Quote of the Week: _"To fall in love is awfully simple, but to fall out of love is simply awful" - Bess Myerson_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

I cursed under my breath, pushing through the crowd once again.

"Wait here!" I yelled behind me, as loudly as possible, hoping Iggy and Ella heard me. I didn't hear a response as I pursued the taxi down the street, slowly losing ground.

Several minutes later, a jolt of pain shot through my head. I stumbled backwards, clutching my forehead. After my head stopped spinning, I looked up at what caused my pain.

An orange sign that read, _Construction Work Ahead, _stood in the road in front of me. As I stared into the darkness, my heart sank. Navigating a construction area was going to be a long, daunting task. The taxi would be long gone by the time I made it through.

The taxi had to deal with the construction work as well. As a fresh wave of hope washed over me, I ignored the pain in my forehead and dashed down street.

When I saw the long line of backed-up cars, a smile formed on my face. I sprinted down the lane, looking for Max's taxi. Thankfully, it didn't have a chance to get far.

My heart swelled as I saw Max lying in the taxi, still buckled up. I ran up to the driver's side window and knocked. This time, the driver looked at me and rolled down the window.

"What is it, kid? My hours are done."

"Unlock the door," I demanded. "My friend fell asleep in the back."

The driver turned around, his jaw dropping open as he saw Max in the back seat. He didn't say anything, but he unlocked the doors.

I unbuckled Max's seatbelt and hugged her hard. Even though my arms should've been aching by then, the adrenaline coursing through my veins saved me from exhaustion for now. I picked Max up, bridal style, and carried her back down the sidewalk. I noticed she was breathing and shifting slightly in my arms, so she probably was just asleep rather than unconscious.

"Fang!" Iggy yelled when he saw me, waiting with Ella faithfully where I asked him to. I caught up to him and motioned with my head for him to keep going. Even though we were moving quickly, the sense of urgency among us was gone. Max was safe here in my arms.

"I can't go with you guys," Ella said, frowning. Handing me her identification card and insurance information, she continued, "It'll raise suspicion that the ID looks more like me than Max."

"That's fine," I said. "Where are you gonna wait?"

"Right here." She sat down at a picnic table and buried her head in her hands, falling asleep.

I turned to Iggy. "Are you staying with her or going with me?"

He thought about it for a moment before sighing. "I'm going with you. I don't like the idea of leaving Ella alone, but I know she'll be fine. You'll need as much help as you can get in there, and we both know it."

I nodded, thankful I didn't have to go in alone. "Here, set Max down for a minute," Iggy said, rubbing his eyes. I did so, and sat next to Iggy at the table. "Want another cup of coffee?" he offered.

My willpower crumbled. "Why not?"

"Stay here. I'll go get it."

Half an hour later, Iggy and I finished our coffees and were walking into the hospital with Max in my arms. We walked up to the front desk, where Iggy asked for an immediate ER visit.

"Urgent?" the man behind the desk asked, glancing over Max.

"Nope. Just asleep."

"Patient name?"

"M-Ella Martinez," Iggy replied, holding back a grimace. I silently prayed the man wouldn't pick up on Iggy's slip-up.

"Mella Martinez?"

Iggy sighed, as if the man misheard him. "No, sir, it's Ella Martinez. Here's her identification," he said, handing it over the counter. He looked at it briefly and handed it back, barking an order for a stretcher into his microphone.

The man frowned. "Hand that over again, son." Iggy shrugged and handed it back. After taking a good look at the picture in the ID and mentally comparing it to Max, he looked at Iggy. "This isn't Ella Martinez."

My heart was racing, but Iggy didn't miss a beat. "Sir, it is. Ella's hair is lighter during the summer, and she decided to grow it out."

The man looked at me coldly, nearly causing me to crumble in my exhaustion. But I summoned all of my willpower and stared right back at him. "It's true. I've known Ella for years, and I'd know if this wasn't her."

He handed the card back to Iggy. "Someone will be coming down soon to get Ella checked up."

The stretcher came a minute later, allowing me to set Max down. I made sure she was comfortable and centered before directing my attention at the nurse leading us to the triage room.

"Would you classify her situation as life-threatening, urgent, or not urgent?" she asked.

Iggy and I looked at each other. "Not urgent," we replied in unison. I didn't like the idea of waiting, but there was no way we could get Max an urgent slot. Plus, there were people who needed it more.

We pulled into the room, where the nurse took Max's temperature and blood pressure. "Ella is in decent condition; she's a little cold, but she'll be fine. What brings her here today?" she asked.

"Near-drowning," Iggy answered, looking at me as if to say, _Let me take care of this_. I nodded in response, silently giving him permission.

"How long ago did it occur?" the nurse asked, jotting down notes on her clipboard.

"A few hours."

The nurse looked at us. "You'll be assigned to the fast-track ER. A doctor will be with Ella shortly," she said, leaving the room.

When she was gone, I turned to Iggy. "If we pull this off-"

"Don't sweat it, man. We got this in the bag," he said, with a newfound calmness. What I saw over the past half hour wasn't the Iggy I knew, but if he hadn't stepped up we might've been exposed by now.

I clapped him on the shoulder. "Maybe this is the reason you're a grade above me."

Iggy shrugged. "I doubt it. I've had some experience dealing with Dr. Martinez, so I know how this stuff works. Trust me, she's ten times as scary as my girlfriend's mom."

Five minutes later, two men opened the door to our small room and motioned for us to come out. One of them pulled Max's stretcher, and the other led us to the room. Max's assigned room was on the sixth floor, room 6254.

To my surprise and delight, the doctors let Iggy and I wait in the room while they set Max on the bed.

"She's not knocked out, just asleep," I assured them. The main doctor looked over and nodded.

"We're going to look up Ella's medical history, so we can tell if she's suffering from any chronic issues that may make her near-drowning worse," he told us.

I was worried they'd find an issue with Ella that Max didn't have, but, sensing my concern, Iggy whispered in my ear, "They won't find anything. Ella's never been hospitalized."

Sure enough, the doctor announced "Ella" had nothing on her differential diagnosis that stood out. "Ella should be all right, but we need to check her lungs for water," he said. "You two must leave the room at this point. We'll call you back in as soon as we can."

I didn't like it, but Iggy tugged on my arm. "Let's go, Fang. It'll be quick, I promise."

The seconds ticked by ever so slowly, as Iggy and I waited in the chairs directly outside the room. I thought about opening the door and yelling at the doctors to hurry up and tell us Max was okay, but decided against it. Even though I was slightly delirious from lack of sleep, I knew better than to jeopardize our mission.

Five long minutes later, the door opened and the doctor motioned for us to come back in.

"Ella appears to be all right," he announced to Iggy and I. "After she wakes up, she'll be released once her records are updated and finalized."

"What's the final cost?" Iggy asked.

"They'll tell you downstairs."

"How long will it be?"

The doctor looked over at his partner, who was pushing some buttons on a computer. "Two minutes?" he estimated. "Of course, we'll need Ella to wake up first."

Iggy and I took a seat by the wall as the doctors finished up entering "Ella's" data. It felt like forever, but it was probably more like half an hour before Max finally woke up, sending a wave of relief through my body.

"Fang?" she mumbled, looking around.

I motioned for her to be quiet as I walked to her side. "They think you're Ella. Insurance and all. I'll explain everything once we're out of here," I whispered, almost silently.

Once the doctors looked Max over one last time, they led us back downstairs to the reception where a man in a suit was there to greet us with our bill.

"That'll be sixty-seven dollars," he told us. Iggy opened his wallet, only to find it was empty from the money he spent on painkillers. Before I could offer to pay, Iggy took out his credit card and handed it over.

"Shoot," he muttered. "Why didn't I think of this earlier?"

I fished out a wad of cash in my backpack, but Iggy grabbed my wrist. "Scratch that, I have my credit card."

Ignoring him, I wrenched my wrist free and picked out seventy-seven dollars. I held it out to the man in the suit, but Iggy beat me to the punch. The man was already scanning Iggy's credit card by the time I counted the money.

I glared at Iggy, but he wasn't budging. He took his credit card back and stuck it in his wallet without paying me a lick of attention. He knew I wasn't happy about letting him pay, but at the same time he knew there was nothing I could've done at that point.

"You're free to go now," the doctors told us, once they gave it back. "Be careful, kids."

Iggy and I thanked them before we left the hospital and walked to where Ella was sitting. Max, Iggy and I sat down next to Ella.

Iggy and I looked at each other. "Wake her up?" he suggested. I nodded, causing Iggy to grin. This was what he lived for.

All three of us put our faces inches in front of Ella's, which was still flat against the table. Iggy shook her shoulders and whispered, "Wake up. Ella, wake up."

Ella's eyes opened slightly, and widened when she saw us. She jumped backwards, sending her toppling off the bench onto the grass behind her. She glared at us. "I hate you guys."

Iggy and I laughed, exchanging a high-five. "Works every time," he said.

Ella rolled her eyes. "How'd it go?"

"Really well, actually," Iggy said, handing Ella her insurance information and ID back. He told her the story, cracking up every time he mentioned calling Max by Ella's name. Now that the pressure was off, Iggy was returning to his normal, lighthearted self.

When he was finished, Max busted out laughing despite just waking up. "That's priceless. You guys are the best."

Ella found it funny as well, evident in her occasional giggling. "That's brilliant, guys. I wish I was there."

"Me, too," I said. "If Iggy didn't suddenly become a man, we would've been screwed without you."

"Hey, now," Iggy said. "I'm always very manly." This time, all four of us cracked up.

"Anyone else as tired as I am?" Iggy asked.

"Hell yeah," I agreed. "Let's get going."

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Who was the hero of the taxi scene? Fang? The taxi driver? The construction workers? Someone else? The sign Fang ran into? I'll post the results next chapter. :P

Question of the Chapter 2: Do you think Fang/Iggy/Ella/Max will get burned for the hospital stunt later?

Question of the Chapter 3: If you could be: a famous author, a pop star, or a famous sports player, which would you choose?

My answers: 1) I'll go with the construction workers. 2) I dunno... 3) Hard one...maybe a pop star. I doubt I'll be a famous author, or get something published, but at least it's within the wide realm of possibility. I'm small and can't sing, so the last two are only possible in my mind. XD

One more thing - the MR book comes out in just about a month on January 15! Time to get pre-ordering!


	39. Chapter 31

According to you guys, the hero of last chapter was...the sign Fang crashed into! *round of applause*

Random Quote of the Week: _"The world comes to life and everything's bright from beginning to end when you have a friend by your side, that helps you to find the beauty of all when you open your eyes and believe in the gift of a friend," -Demi Lovato, from "Gift of a Friend"_

* * *

**Max's POV **

Far before I was fully conscious, I felt a huge _something _crash into me and wrap around me, taking my breath away. I freaked out for a moment before realizing it was just Fang.

"Can't—breathe—" I choked out.

"Sorry," Fang said, pulling back. "You never stop scaring me, Max."

I was a bit suspicious, since Fang usually didn't act impulsively like this. He was more of a, _I hope you can understand this nondescript twitch_, person. Hugging and snuggling was nothing new for him, but crashing into me like a cannonball before I was even awake? That was definitely new.

Then, I remembered. Our magical boat ride gone wrong. Me punching Fang in jest, then tipping the boat and going under. Panicking for three chaotic minutes, dying for air.

Now I was in a small grassy clearing with Fang, Iggy, and Ella sitting in front of me.

When Fang pulled back, I sat up and Ella leaned forwards and embraced me gently. "You had me worried, too."

"Yeah, sorry. Would you guys mind telling me what happened?" I asked, my eyes flitting between the three of them.

"I think Fang would be best suited to tell you," Iggy said, giving him a pointed look.

Fang shook his head nervously. "Nah, Ella probably remembers everything better."

Ella glared at him before turning to me. "Fine. So, after you passed out, Fang kept swimming around and trying to untie you. He eventually saw your hair was what was caught and yanked it until it came out. I didn't see any of that, by the way. Fang told us. Anyways, he pushed you onto the boat. Then he started making out with you—"

"_WHAT?_" I demanded, my eyes widening. This had to be some kind of sick joke.

"Well…I'm not sure how to put it. He just…kissed you, and—"

"It wasn't like that!" Fang broke in.

"Well, then what was it like?" I asked.

"Okay, I did kind of kiss you. But what was I supposed to do? I just fished you out of the water. Don't I need to give you more oxygen, or something?" Fang explained, his eyes trained on Ella I noticed he was blushing slightly and silently chuckled.

"Fang, for someone trying to defend your case, you did a pretty suckish job," Iggy pointed out. Nobody paid him a lick of attention.

"No, you dolt," I told Fang, rolling my eyes. "Ella should've been there instead."

"Wait, you wanted her to kiss you?" Fang asked innocently.

"I didn't want anyone to kiss me! But she actually knows CPR!" Only after I responded did I realize that Fang was feigning obliviousness.

"I know that. I swear, Max, I was just trying to help."

Ignoring Ella's "_Suuuuuuure", _I nodded at Fang. "I believe you." Not for a second did I distrust Fang; I remembered what happened last time all too well. Besides, I probably would've done the same thing if Fang needed air.

"Thanks," Fang said, letting out a long exhale. He was clearly worried about me showing a lack of faith in him again. I learned my lesson already.

"Whatever," Ella said, a smile still tugging at the corners of her mouth. She told the rest of the story, and it all made sense until the part where they left me on a taxi.

"Seriously, nobody even noticed me?" I asked, glaring at everyone in turn. Fang took a sudden interest in his shoelaces, and Iggy whispered something to Ella. I couldn't help but feel a bit bitter, but the feeling quickly faded as I remembered how they just saved my life multiple times.

"Sorry, but we were all really tired. Fang and Iggy carried you for a mile, and I carried all the stuff," Ella pointed out. After she finished the story, I was tempted not to believe it for a second. Was I really narrowly saved three times in three days? That was a new record.

"Oh. Uh, thanks, guys," I said awkwardly. It was a huge understatement, and we all knew it. There was nothing that I could do to repay Fang, Ella, Iggy, Dr. Martinez, and Mr. Griffiths for the help they gave me in the past five days. If it weren't for each and every one of them, I might've been dead or kidnapped by now.

It was high time I flipped the script. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want anyone to get hurt, but I felt as though I owed them something even if it wasn't close to what they gave me. Especially Fang; on paper, he didn't do any more than the others, but I wasn't sure if I would've made it through if it weren't for his love and support.

Everybody but Fang nodded, catching my drift. "I'm thankful too," I heard Fang mutter under his breath.

Curious, I looked at him. "What?"

"I'm thankful you reminded us of how much I-I mean, _we_, need you. None of us would be the same right now if you weren't here," Fang said, unwaveringly. "I know I wouldn't be."

Ella raised her eyebrows, but Fang wasn't done yet. "I mean, what if Nudge's time came? Not to be a pessimist, but think of it that way," he added, looking at each of us in turn.

"That's deep, Fang," Iggy remarked, pulling up his shades. "No wonder we're friends, since opposites attract."

As Fang grinned at Iggy, I noticed he was trying hard to hide a grimace. "What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Just tired," he replied, moving his shoulder, likely in a hopeless effort to get comfortable.

"Why? We just woke—oh, that's right," I said, remembering what Ella said about how he carried me so far yesterday. I glanced at Iggy, and he was also stretching out his right shoulder.

"Guys," Ella broke in, "sorry about this, but Iggy and I have to go. A couple of my friends wanna hang out, and Angel's probably pissed as well. I promise, next time anyone in the Flock comes to see you two, Angel's coming. Nudge and Gazzy too, hopefully."

"Okay, see you later then. Thanks for coming. Everything aside, it's been really nice seeing you guys. And rest assured, we don't almost die this often."

Ella grinned. "Of course. We were planning to visit even if Max didn't get hurt in the process of going all BA on the world."

Fang cracked a smile. "I'd offer to walk you back, but I don't want to leave Max here alone," Fang told them. If they gave me a walking stick, I would've been able to walk fine! But Fang was too stubborn to take the risk. I found it idiotically endearing, just like everything else he did.

Ella waved her hand. "Don't worry about it. And Max, one more thing. Don't come close to any water today, unless you're going to drink it. And even if you do, just be careful. There's something called dry drowning, and it can happen up to a day after a near-drowning experience. Put simply, even a little bit of water can trigger your windpipe to close and kill you."

"What would we ever do without our local aspiring doctor?" I joked. "Really, though, I'll keep that in mind."

Ella smiled. "Please do," she said, standing up. She and Iggy bade us goodbye one last time before walking out of the forest and back to the city. I knew I'd really miss the two of them, even though I'd probably see them again sometime. Besides their, you know, life skills, Iggy and Ella were amazing friends and great sources of humor. It was hard for anyone to feel down when around Iggy. His infectious smile really affected everyone in the vicinity.

Fang walked over and sat down beside me. "Guess it's just us again," he said, his eyes cracking a smile.

"Yeah."

"It's the first we've been alone for two days, unless you count the lake. Iggy told me that they were listening on two nights ago," Fang said.

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I know. I've been thinking about that, too. We're alone together every day for two weeks, and boom, Ella and Iggy are basically runaways with us for a couple days."

Fang chuckled. "I guess you could put it that way. By the way, didn't Dr. Martinez say you'd be able to walk by today?" he asked, brushing the hair out of my face for what seemed like the millionth time in the past three days. What was with that?

"Yesterday, actually. But she said it could take a week," I said, sighing. "It better be healed by tomorrow. And hand over the painkillers. I can walk today."

"I don't think so, Max," Fang said, looking at my leg. "We don't need to risk anything."

I shrugged. "Walking's not going to kill me or anything," I said, pulling the medicine out of my backpack. I took the allotted dosage, despite Fang's warning.

Submitting to the reality that I was going to try my best to walk, Fang replied, "Don't hold your breath for anything to happen. It'll take fifteen minutes at best."

I groaned. "Why do they make it take so long? What's the fun in torturing unlucky teenage girls?"

"Everything," Fang replied, keeping a straight face as he glanced over my head before meeting my eyes.

Without stopping to think, I threw the bottles of medicine back at him. If they were closed, nothing would've happened. But, unsurprisingly with my luck, they were both open. Before Fang could catch them, all the pills spilled out onto the sopping wet leaves where they promptly started to dissolve.

Fang tried to salvage some of them, but he wasn't having the best of luck. All the pills were dissolving right before our eyes. Who knew the manufacturers really had something against me?

"It's fine," Fang said quickly, clearly trying hard to stay positive. "You've already taken enough for today, and you'll be fine by tomorrow. The painkillers wouldn't have done anything."

"How do you know I'll be able to walk by tomorrow?" I asked, stretching my leg. It still hurt like hell, probably too much to even limp on.

"I just do," Fang answered confidently, as if prophesying my future. I wasn't complaining though—if he was right, I would've been a very happy girl.

"For what it's worth, thanks," I said, shredding a leaf with my hand. "When the medicine kicks in, we're heading back to the old spot. It's drier over there."

Fang shrugged. "Makes sense."

"No, duh. Anyways, what are we doing today? It's not even noon yet," I said, shredding another leaf with my hand. I looked down, and there was a small pile of leaf bits by my right hand. Whatever. It would decompose soon enough, anyways.

"I'm not sure," Fang admitted. "I haven't thought of that yet. We've all been focused on, you know, keeping you alive. So much has happened since then, but you were attacked just three days ago."

"It feels pretty recent to me, but I guess that's easy to say since I've been unconscious ninety percent of the time since then," I said blandly, looking down.

"Hey, it's all right. It's not your fault any of it happened," Fang told me, barely above a whisper. I wanted to protest, to make sure he understood everything _was _my fault, but it was awfully hard to muster up any energy nestled in Fang's grip. While we talked, I didn't even notice he had wrapped his arm around my shoulders until I leaned back and felt an arm behind me.

"How about we go now?" I suggested meekly, shifting against the tree. "Give me your jacket, by the way."

Fang slowly stood up, stretching his toned upper body as he took off his black jacket and handed it to me. I put it on, immediately feeling the remnants of Fang's warmth and with his help, I stood up. I started to take a step forwards, but Fang stopped me.

"Not so fast. Don't move from the tree until I find you a stick," he said firmly, looking me in the eye to make sure I knew he meant it. Everyone had been making a conscious effort to keep spirits high lately in light of the precarious circumstances, so it was important we made it known when something needed to be taken seriously.

After several minutes of poking around in the woods nearby, Fang found a suitable, albeit long, stick. It was a good width, about the diameter of a golf ball, sturdy, and about five feet tall. I grabbed a point on it, near the top, and used it to brace myself as I tried to walk.

Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Aside from essentially having to re-learn how to walk, using a stick was pretty simple and painless. Sure, it was annoying that I had to use my left hand to hold the stick, but I managed. After a few difficult steps with Fang's help, I was able to move on my own at a reasonable pace. It wasn't close to jogging, or even normal walking, but it wasn't like it was going to take all day to get to our spot. It was, what, a mile from here? An hour was doable.

Even though we stopped several times, Fang and I somehow managed to make it to our sleeping spot without causing any disasters. We sat down across from each other in the forest just as we'd done so many times during the past week.

"Do we have any food?" I blurted out, once we sat down. I hadn't eaten since last evening, where Iggy nearly got us in trouble with the park police.

"Yeah, Ella gave me a few sandwiches while you were still asleep. Unfortunately, I ate them all," Fang said, taking a sudden interest in the sky. I rolled my eyes. He should've known I wasn't _that _gullible.

"Whatever. Just hand them over." Fang chuckled and opened his backpack. He looked around it for a few seconds before settling on handing the bag to me.

There were several kinds of sandwiches. I pulled out a ham sandwich and opened the bag.

I didn't realize how small it was compared to my appetite until I finished eating it. Without looking up, I took down the turkey sandwich and one of the peanut butter sandwiches before I stopped myself.

"I ate this morning," Fang told me, seeing me abstain from eating the last of Ella's food. "Go ahead."

Shrugging, I took out the sandwich and downed it in four bites. I wasn't completely full, but seeing as I never was, I was feeling pretty good.

After I finished eating, Fang suggested that we spend the rest of the day relaxing and recovering from our exhausting past few days. I obliged, knowing I needed the rest badly. Plus, Fang never would've let me push myself given the fact that we had nowhere to be for the next, well, eternity. That was the beauty of being a runaway. Of course, there were disadvantages, but a lack of responsibility was just about the best thing in the world for me.

In an effort to keep me entertained, Fang gave me a comprehensive description of nearly every prank Iggy and Gazzy pulled.

"I know it's lame and immature, but one of my favorite ones was the prank they pulled on a guy on the street," Fang said. "Gazzy took someone's purse, ran around a corner, and hid behind a trash can. There was some paint nearby that Iggy set up that was supposed to look like it spilled accidentally."

"When the guy Gazzy stole from turned the corner, he looked around and saw Iggy on the roof with a bunch of paint footsteps on the wall. They looked alike back then except for height, and it's hard to tell height from fifty feet down."

I laughed, for the fiftieth time that hour. "Did they give it back?"

"Yeah, they did. But the guy was still pretty ticked, even though he did tip his cap to the boys for a prank well done."

"Did you do anything in it?"

Fang shook his head. "No, but Angel and I were videotaping it with Iggy's camera. Angel was one of those people who wanted to be good at everything, so she made me teach her how to record videos to impress her friends and teachers."

Fang wanted to show me some videos, but his laptop was completely out of power. We ended up talking for the rest of the day about everything from pranks to skanks. The former appealed to both of us, while the latter had the complete opposite effect. We didn't take any breaks sans several trips to the bathroom (read: bushes. It's tough to be a girl sometimes…) and a quick dinner in our fashion, a can of beans each.

As Fang lay down to sleep beside me, I realized I didn't write in my diary yesterday. Since I made a habit of writing an entry every day, I wrote an extra-long one to make up for missing yesterday.

_Dear Diary,_

_Where can I start? Things have been slipping a bit lately, to say the least. I hope we can get through the next two days without me almost dying. That'd be nice. I know it's my fault, but it'd be nice if someone was next to me, telling me whenever I was about to do something stupid. Actually, that'd be really annoying. And isn't that Fang's job? Nah, he's too nice to do that. Besides, his vocal chords wouldn't allow for crazy usage like that since I was doing something stupid about 85% of the time. _

_Oh, I'm remembering something now. It's Friday, I think, unless I slept through a whole day. Someone would've said something if that happened…I hope. Fang told me that the make-up baseball game is scheduled for Sunday. That's two days from now. Hmm, hopefully that'll give me a chance to prove to myself I'm not completely worthless. If I can survive a whole stadium of wild, raucous fans, I can survive living with Fang. _

_And I think I've written this before, but I'm kinda glad Ella and Iggy are gone. Nothing against them, since they're awesome friends and saved my bacon twice, but I miss the days of just Fang and I. That felt weird to write, since they came two days ago, but so much stuff happened, it felt like so much longer. _

_Just like my month on the run. This is just day 31, but I guess the new-ness of it all gave me a reason to replace nearly 18 years of sheltered life with one month of an anything but sheltered life. Literally, we had no shelter. The best we could manage was a tree, or a sewer. But as I've written a million times already, freedom beats abuse every time._

_I think it's time to throw in the towel for tonight. I've written two pages already, and my pen is starting to run out of ink. I'll have to get a new one sometime soon. And I'm just noticing it, but the pages are really filling up. I don't really wanna get a new diary, though, since this one is so…me. It reminds me of the day Fang and I met every time I see it. That's a good thing, by the way._

_I'm starting to sound like Nudge now. I'll shut up._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Which username do you like better: heartofglass99 or heartonmywing99?

Question of the Chapter 2: Do you want another visit from Iggy and Ella?

I'm not sure what happened last chapter, but please don't forget to review!


	40. Chapter 32

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY KWANZAA, AND HAVE A NICE HANUKKAH, EVERYONE! Hope you're all enjoying your winter breaks, for the students reading this!

Random Event of the Week: My sister and I were writing stuff on paper left-handed for fun (we're both righties), and mine turned out pretty well. After telling me her writing was so much better than mine right-handed (that's true :P), she asked, "Are you, like, what's that word? Anorexic?" I busted out laughing. "Ambidextrous, sister." I'm not actually ambidextrous, but my left hand can write half-decently (read: legibly).

Random Quote of the Week: _"They all got the same heartbeat, but hers is falling behind," -Echosmith, from "Cool Kids"_

Has anyone else read Hold Still by Nina LaCour? It has to be my favorite stand-alone book ever.

To TheSilentSinger: Thanks for the ideas, and don't worry - I read all reviews multiple times! I'd be absolutely nowhere on FF without my loyal reviewers so the least I can do is read what they say.

* * *

**Fang's POV**

Despite the sense of urgency present in me for the past few days, I wasn't feeling rushed at all waking up. I guess I'd been through so much, that panic and excitement just didn't linger much. I could understand if, say, Iggy was still re-living yesterday and flipping out, since for the most part he was unfamiliar with injuries, much less near-death. Ella, on the other hand, probably had plenty of firsthand experience with dying animals.

Thankfully, Iggy never got around to 'paying me back' for the money I chipped in for Max's medicine. I counted our money, and we had just about five hundred bucks. I had two hundred when I met Max, we stole two hundred from the cashier, and Angel sent me three hundred from home. Take out a couple hundred for food and medicine, and the five hundred bucks I counted seemed about right.

If we spent at the same rate we'd been going at for the past month, five hundred bucks was more than enough. The money we had was good for two and a half months, maybe even more. Considering we stole two hundred from the cashier, I thought it was only right to eventually head back down to give him the money back. I still had my laptop and my watch, which could've fetched at least a few hundred in return.

And even though Iggy stubbornly refused monetary reimbursement, I could've repaid him in other ways. If he ever needed a ride, a favor, or even just a friend, there would've been no hesitation on my part. Anything I could've done for him would've been dwarfed next to how he had helped Max and I so far, but it was still necessary I gave it my best shot. Everyone needed help in some way, right?

I heard a rustle to my left, and I knew Max was the source of it. It was a short matter of time before Max would wake up, so I started to think of a plan for the day.

First off, food was a must. We had plenty to eat yesterday and the day before, courtesy of Dr. Martinez and company, but we were running low on our personal stash. Right now, I had one can of beans left in my backpack and I figured Max had the same unless she had a midnight snack or something. Buying food today was necessary, even if we had to do it in Los Angeles since running was out of the question.

Aside from food, there was nothing else we really needed. Maybe it would've been a good idea for Max to get washed up and changed after the debacle at the lake, but it wasn't a priority. We had time, though, so today was probably a good day to do it.

By my left, Max's eyes fluttered open at last. Given that she had little trouble getting up, and her eyes looked decently alert considering she was just asleep, I took it she was well-rested.

"Morning," she mumbled.

"Good morning," I said. "We should eat now, since we're getting more food today. I have one can left."

Max nodded, unzipping her backpack. She took out a can, likely her last, and ate it quickly.

I offered Max a hand up, confident it was all she needed. As I should've predicted, she ignored it and slowly got up herself.

"If I can't get up," she explained, "there's no way I can walk into the city without help." Sure enough, she stood up fine and took a few steps without stumbling. Even though I knew Max wasn't going to let me help her outright, I made sure to carry her bag and stand several feet behind her at all times to catch her if she fell. "How far is it?"

"You don't remember? It's about a mile and a half into the city," I reminded her.

"Oh, right," she muttered.

Within forty-five minutes, we made it to the city limits where Max promptly sat down and asked for a sip of water. She didn't look tired, but I had no doubt she was in pain and already pushing herself. As much as I wanted her to take it down a notch, I knew Max was going through a stage in which she needed to remind herself of the courageous, dauntless girl she truly was. So much had happened lately, but Max knew she needed to do her best to put it behind her.

She was doing a good job at it, too-few people could've known she'd nearly been raped four days ago from how she was taking it. I definitely noticed the post-traumatic stress symptoms in Max, though. Most notably, she hadn't been willing to lead like she usually had been. It was so un-Max-like; it killed me to see her like that. She was also unconfidently questioning things she didn't usually need to, like how far the grocery store was.

In addition, Max had seemed a little dreamy, as if her mind was somewhere else. She was also usually pretty hard on herself, but she never went to the point of undermining the value of her own life. Her whole 'I'm worthless' rant was uncharacteristic, uncalled for, and terrifying for me to endure listening to. It happened two days ago, but I still got chills thinking about it.

After Max had her break, we walked into the city and looked for a grocery store. It just occurred to me that we'd never been grocery shopping in L.A., but a grocery store couldn't have been hard to find.

"By the way, can I get a pen?" Max asked me, taking me by surprise. I figured she just used it for her diary, and it was already running her out of ink? I assumed Max wrote succinct and to-the-point entries of, say, two sentences, but I guess I was wrong. Max had a distinct soft side, but it would've shocked me if her diary was comprised of mushy, cheesy entries reminiscent of Nudge's journal as a toddler.

I shrugged. "Sure thing."

We walked for another fifteen minutes before arriving at a _Piggly Wiggly_, which Max told me was a grocery store. I chuckled internally. What kind of name was that?

After we bought a week's supply of food and threw out our old cans, Max suggested that we look around the city for a convenience store that sold cheap pens.

"I can walk fine," Max said through gritted teeth as I offered her an arm in support.

"You don't need to walk fine right now. Just let me help and you'll be able to run sooner," I said. Max frowned but didn't object when I took her hand. I knew it wouldn't catch anyone's attention, since there were plenty of teenagers holding hands in the city. It didn't matter if people thought we were dating; it wasn't like I knew anyone here. Even if all my friends were here, I cared more about doing my best to help Max than the image I projected of myself.

For some reason, I found myself growing nervous about how I held Max's hand. Was I squeezing too hard. Too soft? Was I swinging it too much? I remembered the day in the coffee shop several weeks ago where I felt a rush of energy with my hand on Max's, and it felt awfully like now. I felt like I had to be _too _perfect for some inexplicable reason.

I held Max's hand a little firmer, since after all it was my job to catch her if she fell. It was still beyond me why I cared so much, and why I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead on a relatively cool day. Eventually, I managed to push the issue to the back of my mind and focus on finding a convenience store.

It was probably just five minutes, but it felt like an hour when we reached a nearby CVS. We were in and out within ten minutes, with a new black pen at Max's disposal.

"Remember the baseball game tomorrow?" Max asked me, once we were out of the store. "You know the directions, right?"

"I think I forgot," I admitted. "Time to hit a café, I guess."

"Dibs on the cushy chair," Max said instinctively, a smile tugging at her lips as we made our way to the Starbucks we were so familiar with. She didn't sound like herself, though. She said it blandly and somewhat listlessly, and she didn't give me the knowing smile I was so used to as she looked me in the eyes.

We made it in five minutes, and sure enough Max let go of my hand and briskly walked to the cushioned chair as soon as we were in the door. I noticed with delight that Max was able to speed-walk without showing any signs of her leg injury. It seemed as though she was a hundred percent good to go as far as walking went, and I had no doubt Max knew it too. She was probably hiding a limp, but she wouldn't let me use that against her. But if she was able to pretend to walk fine, she was definitely getting better. With a hint of disappointment, I realized there was no way she'd let me hold her hand again on the way back. At least that meant Max was getting better.

I sat down in the chair besides Max, took out my laptop, and looked up the directions to Dodger Stadium.

"It's about three miles away," I told Max. "That's an hour and a half if we're lucky."

I looked at her, making sure she understood. But she was looking over my shoulder, and judging by her lack of reaction she probably didn't hear me.

"Sorry. What?" Max said quickly, proving my point.

"Dodger Stadium is three miles away. An hour and a half walking at best," I said, resisting the urge to ask Max what was wrong. We both knew exactly what was wrong.

At least Max wasn't feeling bad for herself or anything. Don't get me wrong, I was more than happy to help her through anything, but her post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms weren't quite that bad at this point. I didn't want to see Max go backwards in recovery, for her sake.

"Okay," Max responded, looking away from me again. I sighed. I'd never get used to seeing Max like this. I hope I never do.

I quickly researched how long post-traumatic stress disorder lasted in teens, and the general consensus was that it took weeks, sometimes even months. It wouldn't be that bad for Max, but four days wasn't enough. The symptoms would be gone in a week at best, and they were subject to fluctuation in terms of severity. Max wasn't this bad two days ago. Thankfully, according to what I read, this behavior was normal.

Just because a sporadic and slow recovery was normal, though, didn't mean it was good. It didn't even mean that it was okay. It was just…a temporary setback. Max beat the two guys in physical combat, and there was absolutely no reason she couldn't squelch them mentally as well.

Since we hadn't had a chance to relax indoors for the longest time and Max had no agenda after the pen, I decided to stay at the café for a while. Heck, yesterday was our first chance to relax after a bustling three-day period that felt like more like a week.

The first thing Max did was head to the bathroom to wash up, since the lake didn't exactly have the cleanest water in the world. It took her over half an hour, causing a minor backup in the line for the ladies' restroom, but she emerged clean and in new clothes. I washed up as well, since my hair was a rat's nest and I hadn't cleaned off in a week.

I showed Max some cat videos in an effort to cheer her up, but I made sure not to force it. They didn't help at all, unsurprisingly.

I checked the weather report for tomorrow, and thankfully there was a low chance of precipitation. Avril was still set to perform, much to Max's delight.

We ate dinner indoors, for the first time. The employees didn't seem to notice us taking full advantage of their facility and giving them nothing in return, thankfully.

After we finished talking, Max and I packed up and headed back to our sleeping spot. As I predicted, Max insisted on walking by herself. She didn't stumble or falter once on the two-mile walk back to the forest.

We slept about fifteen feet from our old spot, on a patch of drier grass and leaves. As Max took out her diary, I lay down. I pretended to fall asleep for Max' sake, but I was still fully awake after Max finished writing.

I was hoping Max would fall asleep quickly, but she spent at least two hours shifting around and saying things softly to herself before she finally went silent. I guess Max still needed a little more time before the post-traumatic stress disorder systems went away. It had only been four days, after all.

Once Max fell asleep, I was out quickly after with a final prayer for Max to get better as soon as possible.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What's the most random experience you've had in the past week? Mine is in the first A/N.

Question of the Chapter 2: What's the most random Christmas gift you got, if you celebrate it? If not, what was the most random gift you got?

My answer for #2: A five-pound bag of gummy bears from my friend for Christmas! According to Amazon, that's almost 1000 gummy bears. Quotes from my mom regarding it: "Who in their right mind would give you that many gummy bears?", "You better do something with it. I don't know, you could put it in a bowl and leave it on a table in school. That's a good idea." I ended up giving most of it to my cousins.

I also got a Demi Lovato t-shirt. My life is complete.

For last chapter's question, I was leaning towards heartofglass99 as well, since it fits me much better. heartonmywing was supposed to be a MR version of the phrase "heart on my sleeve", which is used to describe someone who can't and doesn't hide their emotions. I'm not really a heartonmywing person.

And to commemorate one of my favorite days of the year, I posted a Christmas Fax one-shot on the 25th! Big thank you to **pepperpottz **for suggesting it.

Please review! Can we get them back up to where they used to be?


	41. Chapter 33

Happy New Years! Here's to a great 2015!

Random Quote of the Week:

**angelicxkitty**, to me in a PM: "J, your brain is (message truncated due to length...)"

Fill in the blank after "is" however you like.

And thanks again to **Tokoloshe Monster **for editing all these chapters and helping to generate ideas!

* * *

**Max's POV**

I woke up early today, probably because I was eager to attempt to run for the first time in a long week. The first traces of sunlight filtered through the trees. The birds overhead were just starting to sing.

My leg felt great yesterday, when I was able to walk without pain, and it was feeling even better today. I was able to walk and even jog painlessly. I probably wouldn't have been able to run thirty miles, but five or ten was definitely doable.

Fang was waking up beside me, stretching out his arms. For the first time in what felt like forever, we were both awake before sunrise. I'd grown to appreciate waking up early, since it gave us long days to work with. And since we had a baseball game at seven in the evening, we had to finish everything up by around four, realistically. Since it was the only legitimate entertainment we'd be having for a while, I was sure Fang was with me on wanting to make the most of it.

"Let's run before it's too hot. I need exercise," I suggested, after breakfast. I had a bit of a down day yesterday, because for some reason my mind decided to remember the attack. Maybe a run would distract me, as well as act as a gauge for my current physical ability.

Fang put down his fork. "I'm not sure about this," he told me, frowning.

"You saw me yesterday, and I was fine," I said.

"Yeah, but that was walking. Running is a whole different story."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm talking, like, five miles, not fifty."

"Still, that's not easy. Iggy can't run five miles when he's in top condition."

"I'm not a perverted idiot, though. Come on, please? We haven't done any running in forever," I said, my eyes flickering between him and the ground.

Fang sighed. "Fine. But we're staying close to here, and no more than five miles."

I grinned. "Ten minutes and we're off," I said, already hopping up to do an extra quick warmup routine. When we were both done, we started on our way.

I made sure to lead, mainly since I wanted to avoid the place where I fought Ortiz. It was a cursed location for me, and I didn't need to relive that day's events again—from leaving Fang hanging at the Starbucks to powerlessly crawling back to the forest.

I started running, and it turned out my legs didn't hurt much. After five easy miles, I felt as though I could've gone another twenty.

Apparently, Fang was thinking the same thing. When we arrived back at our spot, he told me he didn't have enough energy to continue. We both knew it was a lie, but I didn't complain since I was happy just to have blown off some built-up frustration and gotten some exercise.

"Let's head in to refill our water and get cleaned up real quick before the game," Fang suggested, taking me by surprise. Two showers in two days was unheard of for us. But we did need some water, even though Ella somehow snuck a few of her bottles into Fang's backpack, giving us a six-bottle capacity.

After we refilled four of our six bottles, since all of them would've been overkill, Fang and I briefly washed up in a café. It didn't take me long, since I thoroughly cleaned up yesterday. The best part? Seeing the annoyed faces of the people in line I stopped from using the restroom.

"Can you check how many clean pairs of clothes you have left?" Fang asked me, putting his backpack down by his chair.

"None." Even though we got our clothes cleaned just a week ago, we'd gotten dirty so many times we were both fresh out of clean clothes. We only carried four outfits each, so we had to lower our standards when it came to acceptable clothing. What some kids called a social disaster we called perfectly fine.

Still, my clothes were beyond disastrous now, even discounting the outfit that got torn and bloodied, so a trip to the laundromat was necessary.

"Let's go now," Fang suggested. "It's only noon, so we have plenty of time to get our clothes washed up and eat dinner."

Since Fang didn't remember where the laundromat was, I led him through the city until we arrived at the same place we used last time. Thankfully, Fang still had the detergent and enough quarters for us to get our clothes washed and dried. We were out of the laundromat by three, giving us time to walk around the city and eat dinner before the game.

Even though we'd done it before, walking around Los Angeles just made me feel so alive. I was usually one for smaller, quieter cities, but Los Angeles was a priceless experience. I didn't think it possible to feel down or drained in this city. The traffic, yelling, and flashing advertisements contributed to a strong city atmosphere that was the complete opposite of the calm and quiet towns I was used to. Since the sidewalks were two-way, it felt like Fang and I were being squeezed along by the thick streams of people walking with us as we made our way to the game.

We ate dinner at a picnic bench before continuing on our way to the stadium. It wasn't too bad of a walk, thankfully, even though the streets were packed with rabid baseball fans.

When we got to the stadium, we got in a long line for the one dollar grandstand tickets. Fang went over the basic rules of baseball again; it'd been a while since he first told me. I listened carefully, trying to pick up most of the details.

Thankfully, the line moved quickly so we made it to the front in fifteen minutes. We purchased our tickets and walked through the gate. Fang made sure that clothes were covering the food in our bags, so the gate officers wouldn't think we were trying to avoid buying their expensive stadium food. We weren't going to buy anything, but it wasn't like we were doing anything wrong. We just didn't have the luxury of a secure place to put our backpacks while we went to the game.

It was just before six when we made it to our seats. They were on the fourth deck, next to right field. We sat down and slid our tickets into the drink holders, which neither of us had any intention on using. To my surprise, the seats weren't too uncomfortable. They were rigid and plastic, but they beat tree roots any day.

The stadium was pretty empty, since we still had over an hour before the game began. Our section was empty, with the exception of a family and several loners in the front rows.

As Fang and I looked down onto the field, I saw a burly, heavyset guy walk out from the home dugout.

"Who is that? Is that guy in the dark blue the coach or what?" I asked Fang.

He stood up and looked over the field for a second, looking for the fat guy I was referring to. "Actually, that's a player."

"What?! Don't you have to run in baseball?"

"A little. And they're not athletes, they're professional baseball players."

"You got that right." Now that I looked more closely, pretty much half the team consisted of fat guys. How could this even be called a sport? I could've outrun these guys blindfolded and with my legs tied together.

Just then, a man strode down the aisle, offering drinks. I overheard him dealing with another customer, and my mouth dropped open. Five bucks for a bottle of water? Who in the world would pay that? Stadium prices on top of baseball 'athletes' were enough to convince me that baseball fans were a hundred percent insane. Still, I was excited for the game and definitely for the concert. This had to be the most entertainment a dollar ever bought. Fang and I sure were bargain hunters. Or we just had some good luck for once in our lives.

"Game starts in five," Fang told me.

By now, most of the stadium was filled. Our section was packed, which freaked me out a little. I took a half step closer to Fang, since I was obviously more comfortable being close to him than some random fan to my right. The game hadn't even started yet, but people were already getting pumped. A clump of fans several rows in front of us were yelling cheers and taunts, even though the players couldn't hear us.

A horrible thought passed through my mind: what if my parents were here? Or Ortiz? A chill shot up my spine, but it quickly passed. Ortiz was hopefully in jail, and my parents were hundreds of miles away.

Why was I even freaked out in the first place? I realized it was the post-traumatic stress disorder kicking in. Excessive paranoia was a symptom. Throw in my claustrophobia, which I was trying hard to suppress right now, and that was plenty reason to as why I was paranoid.

Now that we were surrounded by people, I could smell the burgers and fries of the fans around us. It made me wish we had more money so we could grab a bite, but I stopped myself. Living on less taught Fang and me gratitude. We valued things like food and shelter, which most kids took for granted.

We had aisle seats, so we had a decent view of the field. There was no way I could tell which player was which even if I knew them well, but I could see the action and scoreboard easily. When the game started, though, the baseball would probably be invisible to my eyes. There was no way I could track a tiny object moving at a hundred miles an hour from hundreds of feet away without lots of practice.

After five minutes, the crowd roared its applause. I took it to mean the game was beginning. Sure enough, the pitcher was winding up and delivering his pitch. He threw the ball, _really _fast, and the audience started clapping again. According to the Fang, the pitcher just threw a strike. Great. Only two more of them, three times, for nine innings, and for both teams. Baseball was so damn long. I felt bad for season ticket holders, going to eighty-something games of this every year. That would've bored me to tears long before the season ended.

I listened to the people around me to try to get a better understanding of where the Dodgers stood in the league. Apparently, the Dodgers were playing the San Francisco Giants, and there was some kind of rivalry since the fans were yelling all kinds of threats at the Giants. Some of them even held signs maligning them. My favorite one showed a picture of a fat panda faceplanting.

The next few innings passed by quickly, with neither team scoring a run. Fang told me that the Dodgers' pitcher was the best pitcher in the league. Of course I couldn't tell the difference between one pitch and another from where we sat, even if the scoreboard indicated they were thirty miles per hour different in speed.

Fang and I were waiting for the fourth inning to start, when a baseball tradition Fang told me about began. The scoreboard displayed "KISS CAM" in huge letters, and showed live videos of couples in the stadium kissing.

I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to endure it a moment longer. "Is it over yet?" I asked Fang.

"No, there's-wait, Max? Open your eyes." I cautiously did what he said, and scowled. The kiss cam was focused on Fang and I, and it didn't seem intent on moving anytime soon.

WHAT WERE THE FREAKING CHANCES?

No. There was no way I'd kiss Fang. What made the camera operator think we were a couple? Was it the fact that we both had messy hair?

Reserved laughter began to brew throughout the stadium, probably amused by our shyness. I felt a sudden rush of anger course through my veins, and I did the unthinkable.

I swiftly turned to my left and gave Fang a peck on the lips. His lips were soft, to my surprise, and warm. They were firm, too, like my mouth was pressed against a peach. Fang smelled like nature, like the tree we slept under yesterday. Mellow, but comforting.

I shook my head. I wasn't supposed to notice these things. I just did it because…oh, I don't know. I really don't.

It was probably for the better that Fang didn't respond. He stared on ahead, ignoring me. It made me feel even more awkward. If Fang just laughed it off or made a witty comment, maybe that would've loosened things up between us. I didn't really expect him to, though. I certainly would've been stunned into silence if Fang kissed me like that.

WOW, MAX. What a genius move. But hey, at least you made the crowd happy. They were clapping and cheering. That _totally _made up for it.

As I gently pushed him away and sat back down, I couldn't help but know I made my greatest mistake. My cheeks were as red as a tomato, and my ears were ringing in disbelief of what I'd done.

I tried to focus on the game, but all I could think about was the kiss. I mean, what did it mean for us? Did Fang hate me now? Did Fang like it? A million incoherent thoughts raced through my mind, not lending any clarity. The worst part was that it was all my fault. It wasn't accidental or anything like that. I was fully conscious, just blinded by frustration.

On top of all that, I felt a little guilty for ruining the game for Fang. He was enjoying a perfectly fun baseball game until I had to go and kiss him. I should've worn a label on my shirt, saying, _TEENAGE HORMONAL AWKWARD GIRL. DO NOT COME WITHIN FIFTY FEET._

By the eighth inning, my mind began to clear up. I was able to focus on the game enough to catch what was going on. The Dodgers were losing, four to nothing, after their pitcher had a rough day. The fans were all deflated, looking for signs of hope from their baseball team.

The Dodgers didn't score in the bottom of the inning, and they managed to not dig themselves deeper in the top of the ninth. As soon as the bottom of the ninth started, the fans got to their feet and made a racket, hoping to inspire the team.

They must've had some magic, or good luck, working, because the Dodgers promptly scored four runs. I didn't catch everything that happened, but I did see a home run which caused the stadium to go wild. By the end of the inning, the game was tied 4-4.

I was trying hard to take an interest on the game, since it was a good one, but kissing Fang simply took precedence in my mind. Hearing, _"He's the best hitter in the league! When you put him up against a sorry pitcher like that, that's the result you're gonna get!" _from the fans behind us normally would've made me laugh, or at least smile, but it went in one ear and out the other.

According to what Fang told me, the game went to extra innings if it was tied after nine. Sure enough, the players took the field again to play another inning. They all looked as energized and excited as ever, and so did most of the fans. The people to my right got into a shoving match over the game, one of them nearly crashing into me. Fang and I, on the other hand, were in no condition to jump, scream, and celebrate. Would you be clapping and screaming if you ran five miles five days after getting beaten up? I thought not.

I risked a glance at Fang, and his face, of course, was as impassive as always. I took it as a good sign that he forgot about the kiss.

By the eleventh inning, things began to change. The top was as boring as usual, with nobody scoring. In the bottom, when the crowd grew wild again, a fat Dodgers player hit a home run, way back in the stands. The stadium erupted in cheers, and the players seemed equally enthused. The Dodgers made a sloppy mob around home plate, waiting for Mr. Fat Guy to make his way around the bases. With his build, I didn't hold my breath for _that _to happen.

When he finally, finally touched home, the players surrounded him and jumped up and down. Their celebration continued for a few minutes before the players finally got their act together and hauled themselves back into the dugout.

As the crowd died down, the loudspeaker made an announcement:

_The concert will begin in fifteen minutes. Do not exit the ballpark, as tickets do not allow re-entry. I hope you enjoyed the game! _

I sat back down and waited for the concert to start. Now that I was thinking straight again, I couldn't believe how dumb I'd been. The sense of loss was catching up to me. I'd never forgive myself if my pride and impulsiveness ruined our friendship. I had to set the record straight with Fang sometime soon before he thought I actually meant it.

Fang's watch beeped. "It's midnight," he said, mostly to himself.

* * *

Yes, you read that right! They finally kiss!

Question of the Chapter: Do you think the kiss will be important in the future? What do you think Fang thought of it?

One more thing: I recently posted a story called "Two Worlds Collide", it's on my profile. I have high hopes for it, much higher than ANB! Please check it out! (It's a Percy Jackson fic but it's an AU so you don't need to know anything about PJO. I promise, if you like A New Beginning, you'll like Two Worlds Collide.)

Thanks for reading!


	42. Chapter 34

Recommendation: Three Worlds Collide by **anumij**. It's a wonderful OC PJO fic if that's what you're into!

Random Quote of the Week: _"I fell through the hole, down at the bottom of your soul, didn't think you could go solo" -Demi Lovato, in "Solo"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

My head was still spinning well after the final cheers of the crowd died down and the tendrils of smoke from the celebratory fireworks dissipated into the sky. I absently noticed much of the male population leave the stadium, but my thoughts were somewhere else. Why did Max kiss me? She wasn't one to go with the flow and be pressured into it. Maybe Max was just upset and acting impulsively.

Still…I liked it. I tried to deny it, but I felt my heart speed up when Max touched her lips to mine. Despite the circumstances, I wasn't going to stop myself from enjoying a split-second of...bliss? It wasn't like when I had to save her life at all. This kiss was real. Max's lips felt so...alive compared to her unconscious, freezing lips during the CPR ordeal.

But it wasn't worth it. It could've ruined our friendship, and that meant more to me than anything else in the world. I had to put aside my own feelings for the benefit of the both of us. So what if I enjoyed the kiss? Any guy would've enjoyed it. This wasn't anything special.

Suddenly, when Max looked over at me, the truth hit me like a cold wind.

Why I was so drawn to Max when we met.

Why I was so protective of her.

Why I noticed how beautiful she was, so many times.

Why I felt all tingly whenever we touched.

I liked Max. As more than just a best friend.

I looked back at Max, and I didn't see my best friend. I saw the girl of my dreams. I didn't like it, but I was finally certain of something for once in my life.

I thought back to everything that had happened, and I couldn't believe how stupid I was. I should've seen it coming. Max was the girl I was looking for since day one.

Now, I didn't even know how to masquerade around with her as just a friend. I felt horrible, with no idea of what to do next. I needed to find a balance between completely screwing up our friendship by telling her and locking myself up so tight, I'd be glued shut forever. But would my emotions give me a choice?

My Plan A was always to fight the problem head-on, but that wasn't happening here. I mean, how could I tell Max I wanted to be more than friends? She'd probably laugh at me. What were the odds she liked me back? Hopefully this was just a simple crush that I'd be over with after a month, but it felt odd meeting my 'high school crush' in a sewer and running away with them for weeks. Could it have been…_love_? If it was, it felt a little weird not knowing I loved someone until they kissed me after a month of friendship.

My Plan B was always to run. But that wasn't an option here either. I was already running away, so where was there to run? I wasn't leaving Max on her own. No way in hell. I was strong. I wasn't about to run from this problem, given the consequences. Picking my battles wasn't the same as being downright stupid.

My Plan C was suicide. Not happening either. So my only option left was to not execute one of Fang's Mental Plans in Case of Disaster and go with the flow, which was a shame. I was looking forward to trying out my emergency plans.

Max frowned. "Fang? Why are you staring?"

"I-um, it's nothing. I'm just a little tired."

"I gotcha. I don't blame you, considering it's past midnight. But don't fall asleep, okay? The concert doesn't end until one at the earliest."

"I won't," I said absently, losing myself in Max's eyes for the thousandth time. But this time, I knew how I felt. My confusion was transformed into clarity, but was it for better or worse? Sometimes it was better not knowing.

Down on the baseball field, the grounds crew was just finishing up dragging a temporary platform onto the outfield for the performance. Apparently, the concert was supposed to be somewhere in the stadium tunnels, but a last-minute minor pipe burst ruined that plan. I was kinda grateful for that, since I wasn't in the mood for a long walk.

Suddenly, the stadium's lights turned off. The crowd hushed, but the silence didn't last long. As Avril walked onto the field, the crowd erupted in cheers.

"_Hello Los Angeles! Who's ready to rock and roll?" _she said, her voice penetrating the white noise through the speakers. If it was possible, the crowd grew even louder. Max smiled and stared intently, as did I, but neither of us had the energy to join the screaming.

Since it was past midnight, Avril wasted no time in getting to the music. She rattled off song after song for an hour before she finally announced the concert was over, much to the disappointment of the stadium evident in the ensuing chorus of "Aww!"'s.

"Let's go now, so we can beat most of the crowd," Max said. I hadn't noticed until then she hadn't said a word during the whole concert.

We began on our way out, but it only occurred to me then that it was going to be a long and difficult walk out since Max and I had to stick together.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I reached forwards and took Max's hand. It wasn't like two days ago, when I was conflicted about holding her hand. It was clear now why I was, but it took on a whole new meaning now. I did my best to cover up my guilt by remembering I had to do my best to stick with her, but I wasn't fooling myself.

Max, on the other hand, nonchalantly gripped my hand back as she led me through the tunnels and out of the stadium. It took a while to make our way out, even though a good portion of the crowd left before the concert.

"I'm gonna need coffee, sugar, or something," Max told me. "It's an hour and a half walk and one in the morning." I started to regret waking up early today. Dang, I should've known that we'd need energy now _before _we went to bed yesterday.

"We can pull that McDonald's thing again," I suggested. "You can sleep, and I'll keep watch."

"Fang, are you-"

"Do you have a better plan?"

Max didn't argue. Thankfully, there was a McDonald's near Dodger Stadium that Max and I found a booth at. I ordered a coffee and rejoined Max at the table, where she was just putting away her diary.

"Wake me up after four hours. We'll head out, then you can get some rest," she said, her words slurring together slightly. I nodded and took a sip of the coffee, instinctively wrapping an arm around her like I'd done so many times before.

It felt _so _weird.

Max felt like radioactive material and a giant fuzzy panda bear at the same time. See what I meant by weird? It was like I wanted to get as much of her as possible without making her think I was trying anything. It was kind of like that card game, Blackjack, where the goal was to get as close to twenty-one as possible without going past it.

Wow, I sounded like a creeper. But what if Max was cold? What if she couldn't sleep sitting up? Did she want me next to her? What if she wanted to be alone after being surrounded with people for the past six hours? What was the meaning of life?

Agh, forget it. I gave up and released my grip on Max, laying her down on the length of the booth seat and moving to the opposite side.

Since I had several hours to kill, I took out my laptop and opened up my email. Aside from a barrage of pointless advertisements which I really needed to unsubscribe from, I had an email from Ella.

* * *

Hey! I know I just saw you, but I have something kinda important to say. Were you at the Dodgers baseball game today? Because Iggy was watching it on TV, and he told me he could've sworn Max kissed you during the kiss cam.

Eep! That's so great! But why did you have to wait until I left to fall in love with each other? Actually, scratch that. Since you two are alone, you can make out all you like without me interrupting you. Have fun!

* * *

By the time I finished reading the email, my brain was running a hundred miles an hour, probably trying to calculate the absurd extent of my bad luck.

Why? Just why? Iggy watched baseball like, what, twice a year? Someone must've been conspiring against me.

I realized I could've easily lied to Ella and told her we didn't have money for live baseball games. But I also thought of the idea that Ella could've helped me know what to do about my crush on Max. If anyone could've helped me, it was probably Ella, even if she turned on her crazy mode.

I decided to go for it. It was two in the morning, and I'd regret it in the morning (did my mind really just make a Ke$ha reference?), but why the hell not?

* * *

Hey Ella,

Yeah, that was us. Nothing's going on though; Max just wanted to make the crowd happy. It's no big deal. On another note, one-dollar ticket days rock.

But…there's something I need your help with. Bear with me, okay? Lately, I mean yesterday, I think something's going on. I'm not sure what it means, but-you know what? I'll cut to the point. I think I like Max.

Thing is, it's weird. We're best friends. We hug and snuggle and whatever all the time, but it feels so different now. What the heck am I supposed to do?

Thanks,

Fang

* * *

Ignoring potential repercussions, I went ahead and sent the email. As the 'undo' option for sending disappeared from my screen, I thought, _Well, there's no going back now._

After logging off, I did everything and anything to keep myself from falling asleep. I downed most of the coffee, read sports articles for the first time since being at home, and paced back and forth in the store.

My body rebelled against me, but I managed to stay awake through the night. I knew nobody was going to get suspicious, since all kinds of crazy stuff happened in L.A. Two teenagers camping out in a McDonald's was nothing too crazy.

At six o' clock, I woke Max up. She looked tired, unsurprisingly, but with the help of the rest of the coffee, she managed to shake off her tiredness quickly. We made it to our sleeping spot in an hour and a half, by which point my brain had half-stopped functioning due to exhaustion. I was awake _twenty-four straight hours_, unless my brain messed up the math somehow. In the condition it was in, that wouldn't have surprised me.

I collapsed on the ground, the energy I borrowed from the coffee abandoning me, and fell asleep right away.

"Fang, it's five in the afternoon," were the first words I heard when I woke up.

After taking a moment to process it, I shot up and stared at Max. "Are you serious?"

"Look at your watch."

I shook my head, not believing it. My sleep cycle was practically flipped around. Now would've been a good time to pay China a visit, since I would've fit in with their time zone perfectly.

"This sucks," I pointed out, my brain still in snail mode. Max rolled her beautiful eyes, somehow helping to wake me up and put me back to sleep at the same time. I just noticed for the first time that her chocolate brown eyes reminded me of the German chocolates Gazzy threw up when he was little. Before they were barfed, I meant. I could've totally pictured Max's face after hearing me tell her, _Oh, you have nice eyes. They're the color of un-barfed chocolate._

"Duh. It's no biggie, though. Go to bed whenever today, I'll wake you up at nine tomorrow morning and you'll be back to normal." After thinking about it for a good few seconds, I decided that what Max said made sense. I was glad someone was being logical, at least.

"What have you been doing all this time?" I asked Max.

"I slept for a while too. I woke up at a little before noon, ate brunch, and jogged around the area for a bit." I felt a bit worried; I didn't know how far Max was going to push herself without someone there to keep her in check. Sensing my worry, Max rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Fang. I didn't go more than a quarter mile from here, and I just jogged a couple miles." I breathed a sigh of relief, hoping Max was telling me the truth. I would've been freaked out of my mind if I woke up with Max not in sight.

After we ate dinner, Max and I talked about the concert. Unsurprisingly, she said she heard all the songs she wanted to hear but didn't get most of the baseball game. It was a bit of the opposite for me; I watched baseball a few times back home, so I knew what was going on. But I was a fan of most artists' underrated songs, including Avril's, which weren't sung much at concerts. This one was no exception; it didn't help that it was short, rescheduled, and at midnight.

To my surprise, I was already tired by midnight. Even more surprisingly, Max wasn't ready to go to bed yet. It didn't make any sense to me how Max wasn't tired when I, who woke up at five in the afternoon, was, but it didn't really matter.

Before I went to bed, I remembered the email I sent to Ella. I groaned internally, already regretting it. Where was my brain when I sent the email? I had a sense I was going to regret it, but it never really sunk in until now. What if Ella told Max? I trusted her, a _lot, _but she was still a high school student. She was an impulsive one, too, when it came to love. I knew she was going to do her best to help me, but if she told Iggy, Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy, the odds of someone slipping in the case of a visit would've been _exceedingly_ high. Far too high for my comfort.

After assuring myself there was nothing to do about it, I fell asleep to the noise of Max scribbling in her diary.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Do you think it's just lust or real love?

Bonus Question: Which Ke$ha song did Fang reference in his thoughts? Internet cookies if you don't Google it.

What a way to fall in 'love', via a kiss cam...too bad it's unrequited (one-sided). Poor Fang.

Please don't forget to review! They've been a bit down for the past 5-ish chapters...can we get back to 25 this chapter? Who knows, maybe Fang's feelings for Max will be returned...and next chapter will come sooner so we can see more of Max's thoughts...

Thanks for reading!


	43. Chapter 35

Whoa. 800 reviews. You guys rock.

Random Quote of the Week: _"Say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say, say what you need to say," -John Mayer, in "Say"_

Congrats to **BiteMeBro552 **and **LegendmeetsMaximumRide **for getting Fang's Ke$ha reference!

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Max, you're weird."

"Max, why would you even think of Fang as a potential boyfriend? Since when was that on the table?"

"Sure, he's good-looking, but that doesn't mean anything."

"Max?"

"Why are you talking to yourself?"

That was the conversation I had with myself this morning as I re-read my entire diary. I woke up early, again, and Fang was out cold. I was awake at seven, giving me just six hours of sleep. It felt like enough, though, probably since I slept pretty much all of yesterday.

For some reason, I felt a slight urge to leave the city. We'd been at L.A. for just two weeks, but Fang and I were way too free-spirited to stay tied down to one location for long. Since we were without a long-term plan, I had no reason to tie myself down.

I checked the map in Fang's backpack and looked for cool cities near Los Angeles. Of course the cities we passed by on our way here were an option, but with so much of the state to explore it felt like a waste to revisit cities.

By the coast, maybe twenty miles northwest of here, there was a decently-sized city called Santa Monica. I knew it for its beaches, but I was sure there was plenty of other stuff to do there.

When Fang woke up, I asked him what he thought of leaving.

"Now?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Why not?" I replied. "We've seen a lot of this city already. Don't you think two weeks here has been enough?"

"Fair enough," he said blandly.

"What, did you want to stay? What else would we do here?"

"It's nothing. I'll just miss the city," he said, gazing around at the bustling city wistfully. Was something wrong with him or what? Fang was usually a lot clearer about what he wanted; he seemed awfully guarded today.

"We can stay a little longer, if you want to," I offered.

Fang shook his head. "Nah, let's go today. I'm ready to run."

I smiled. "Good, because I'm ready too. Let's eat, shall we?"

After we ate breakfast, warmed up, and stretched, Fang and I looked at our map. It was going to take four hours if we did twelve-minute miles, but we had all day. It was just a twenty mile jog, so Fang shouldn't have had any problems with me running a week after getting injured. After all, Dr. Martinez told me I could run by now.

We started on our way, going slowly at first but eventually reaching our normal speed. After ten miles, I was feeling great, but Fang was panting and gasping for breath. He insisted on setting down, saying he was too tired to continue.

That was odd. Fang had no reason to be tired, given his physical capabilities and proper rest allotment. However, he was sprawled out on the ground wearing a sly half-smile.

Oh, wow.

He was faking it.

"Fang? Get up and let's go," I commanded.

"Too-tired," he gasped out.

"Don't lie to me. Why are you even doing this?" I asked, my irritation growing. Was he just trying to annoy me? We bantered back and forth all the time, but this was far over the top for Fang.

Fang sat up, _suddenly _perfectly fine. "Fine. Max, there's no way you're running twenty miles straight."

"Why? Dr. Martinez said it was fine, and we've done it plenty of times before."

"She said this is the first time you should run in general, not run a marathon."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on. We were just through this. My leg feels a hundred percent fine. Now get up and start running, unless you want me to walk over there and kick your butt."

Fang shook his head, not meeting my eyes. "Seriously, Max. At least take a half hour off. Take a sip of water."

I glared at him. "Fifteen minutes."

Fang raised his hands. "Fine," he said, tossing me a bottle of water. To my surprise, I downed the entire bottle in three gulps. Maybe Fang was one hundred percent right in that I was tired. After all, I was sweating pretty badly and my face was probably red.

We resumed our run, although Fang insisted on slowing down at the fifteen-mile mark. It frustrated me slightly, but it wasn't nearly as bad as sitting still. We made it to Santa Monica within three hours of our break, way longer than it should've taken. After staking out a spot once the city was in sight, Fang and I headed in to check it out.

As soon as we passed the city limits, I immediately picked up on the beach vibe. The air was slightly salty, even though we were at least a mile from the surf. The streets were full of people carrying surfboards, sand castle construction tools, and souvenirs on their way back from the beach, even though it was a workday. Even though the white noise was almost as bad as South Side LA, the city felt a lot less business-oriented and more geared towards vacationing. Most of the people here were walking around in bathing suits or t-shirts and shorts instead of suits like people wore in Los Angeles. The collective age appeared to be significantly younger; this place was full of teenagers. In other words, I was down for a few days here.

Fang and I spent the evening walking the boardwalk and looking onto the beach. It killed me to smell all kinds of amazing food, especially those boardwalk fries, and not be able to eat them, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Wanna hit the beach tomorrow?" Fang suggested, as we descended the steps to the sand.

"That would be awesome, but we don't have bathing suits," I pointed out.

"We don't need them. We could just go in what we have on right now and roll up the pants," Fang said. Huh, why didn't I think of that. It was a given we'd look out of place, but that didn't matter. Discomfort was something to think about, but it sounded worth it.

"Sure, I'm down," I replied, already looking forward to it. Just then, something occurred to me. "Wait, why do you wanna go? You're aquaphobic."

Fang smiled. "Not anymore."

"What?" I asked, cocking my eyebrows.

"I had to fight it head-on when I jumped in to save you. I guess that's all I needed, since I don't really think about swimming the same way anymore. If you hadn't tipped the boat, I'd still be aquaphobic. So thank you."

I rolled my eyes. "You're welcome. Anything else you'd like to thank me for at the moment?"

Fang thought about it for a moment before replying, "Nah. Any bigger an ego, and when you walk into the ocean you'll raise the water level ten feet. Think about the poor tourists, sitting underwater." Ooh, a chance to justify hitting him. I tensed my hand quickly struck a point above Fang's cheek, only for him to catch my arm before it even got within a foot of his face.

"Too slow." Fang smirked.

I laughed, eager to accept Fang's challenge. I wrenched my arm loose and quickly shoved him backwards, sending him tumbling down on the sand. We set our bags down and moved closer, grinning at each other.

Fang tried to grab my left leg, but I was too quick. I sidestepped and jumped at him. As soon as my feet left the ground, I knew I made a mistake. Fang waited for me to approach, then shoulder-checked me. He timed it perfectly, sending the back of my head right into the sand.

"Ready to give up?" Fang asked, grinning at me. Something felt a little off about his smile; maybe it was that he seemed a little more reserved than he used to about bantering with me. Whatever. He had to be high if he thought I was giving up after one good shot.

I was a better fighter than him, and we both knew it, but what we were doing wasn't really fighting. More like halfhearted wrestling. We were trying to knock each other down, rather than knock each other out. Regardless, I was going to beat Fang. I knew that much.

Breathing heavily, I did my best to stare Fang down. I knew it as a naïve hope; Fang was the master at stare-downs.

I closed the distance between us and feinted to Fang's right. He set his feet and prepared to receive my blow, but I changed direction and delivered a swift kick to his left leg. Somehow, he saw it coming. I realized just a moment too late he knew my plan all along. He could read me like an open book.

Fang jumped over my leg and lunged at me, grabbing my right leg. Off-balance, I collapsed in a heap on the sand. This time, Fang didn't let me get back up. He planted a knee on my stomach and grabbed my wrists, grinning down at me.

"Fine, you win," I said loosening my muscles. If Fang relaxed just a little bit…

Fang grinned. "Thought so," he said, releasing his hold on me. Right when I felt his muscles loosen, I pushed off of the ground, hoping to get myself up while flipping Fang over.

Instead, I found myself right where I started. "Don't bother trying," Fang said, rolling his eyes. "I can read you like the back of my hand."

I sighed. "Whatever. I surrender. Happy?"

"Yep," he said, standing up. He offered me a hand up. To my surprise, however, his expression of slightly naïve friendliness seemed genuine. Realizing I'd never accept a hand up, Fang dropped his and sighed.

"Be ready for a rematch tomorrow," I told Fang, brushing the sand off my clothes. I took a sip of water and spat out the remnants of sand before taking a long drink. Fang and I only fought for a couple minutes, but it felt like forever.

Even though I lost, the cold-blooded thrill of calculating and executing methods to defeat an opponent was a feeling I...missed. Even though my last fight, the one with Ortiz, nearly got me killed. I got in fights back in Tucson every so often, but I was in it to protect myself, not for entertainment. I didn't have a safety net like I did with Fang. If he even came close to dealing me anything more than a minor bruise, he was undoubtedly going to ease up. In fact, I was surprised he was even willing to engage me in a fight.

After we both cleaned up a bit, we walked around the city until we found a public restroom. The sun was starting to set, but the bright streetlights provided ample lighting for our purposes. We reached a Caribou Coffee within half an hour. Fang and I agreed that the clothes we were wearing at the moment were going to be our beach clothes, so I put them in a plastic bag when I put my new clothes on.

We left the city well after sunset and walked back to our new sleeping location, it felt weird not being in our usual spot by Los Angeles. There were trees here as well, but we didn't have the forest of protection we did back there. Also, the palm trees here were much taller than the short deciduous trees in Los Angeles.

However, Fang wasted no time in clearing us a sleeping spot in the grass. After five minutes, Fang told me good night and lay down. I took out my diary, lay beside him, and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_Finally…running with a purpose. Thank goodness. I was getting a bit sick of staying in the same place, actually. Don't get me wrong - Los Angeles is an awesome city and we had a lot of fun there. But it kinda wore out its welcome, y'know? It was the home to millions of mistakes, courtesy of me. _

_I'm not sure why I'm just thinking of it now, but I'm kinda unsure about how I feel about getting kissed by Fang while asleep. If I was awake…well, I can't say what would've happened. It might've been nice, I don't really know. What I do know is that it would've driven me crazy in one way or another. He's hot, there's no denying that, but…I don't know. It would've messed up our friendship badly. I haven't let myself fantasize about kissing him in fear of that, Diary. _

_I was also thinking, how much longer will I be a runaway? It's kinda nice, actually, even though I know it'll get old eventually. Maybe when I turn eighteen? That's not too far from now. Maybe a little later, I don't know. I still have a future to plan out…dang, I feel so old now._

_Anyways, I'm getting tired now. Signing off._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Long A/N warning. It's not really important, just fun, so feel free to skip the first four paragraphs if you're not in the mood for a few short true stories. You won't miss anything.

Random but Awesome Moment: So, last week my friend and I were playing basketball outside in the snow while the ground was an inch deep in ice. We couldn't shoot at all; I probably made about two shots total in the fifteen minutes we were outside. It was downright freezing...our hands were numb as heck. We got cold after 15 minutes and decided to go inside, but we wanted to take a few last shots. I went past half-court, lobbed a ball at the basket with both hands, and it swished right in. My friend freaked out and decided to try too. Guess what happened? You guessed it, perfect swish. We're not even very good shooters! We've combined for a grand total of three points this entire basketball season. We're convinced it was all luck since we both sucked before that but back-to-back half court shots? Awesomest moment of 2015 so far for us. :P

Something similar happened in 2014 actually...we were playing baseball at the park that time. We were pretty far apart (100 feet or so? ), and I lobbed a tennis ball his way. He caught it...but he didn't even know it was coming. It somehow got wedged between his arm and jacket. We're still debating whether it was his catch or my throw that was more out of the ordinary.

Oh, last week we played baseball again in the snow, and I threw a tennis ball at him a little harder than I meant to. He turned away to dodge it but was too late. Guess what happened? It got wedged in the EXACT SAME SPOT between his arm and jacket while he was spinning away.

As you can see I love sports as well as writing!

Oh dear, Max doesn't like Fang back...poor Fang.

Question of the Chapter: How long have you been following this story?

Question 2 of the Chapter: What did you think of Max talking to herself at the beginning of the chapter? Love it? Hate it?

And if anyone has any suggestions, criticisms (it's okay if you're harsh, I don't mind), or ideas for the story I'd love to hear them! There's no such thing as a bad idea!


	44. Chapter 36

I was glad to hear that so many people have been reading since the beginning! Thanks for the dedication, I'm grateful you've enjoyed it enough to stick around this long! If you're newer to the train, welcome aboard! Let me warn you: things can get crazy. Just read the reviews for Chapter 29.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for heart attacks induced by reading this fanfiction under the influence of any substance, such as coffee, Fang, a stack of books, or a copy of _1989_. Nothing to see here, JP, not all disclaimers have to do with you.

To MaximumumNotMaxine: Um...sorry...well, I'm alive. :P I had a basketball game yesterday so I was really tired when I got home. I completely forgot to update until I was almost ready to go to bed. I'm surprised (in a good way) you remembered/knew my weekly update day since it changes so often. :) Enjoy the chapter!

Random Quote of the Week: _"This is my heartbeat song, and I'm gonna play it, been so long I forgot how to turn it up, up, up, up, up, up all night long," -Kelly Clarkson, in "Heartbeat Song"._

* * *

**Fang's POV**

My eyes opened slowly, processing the reds and oranges making up the colorful sunrise in front of me. Wait, _colorful sunrise?_

I didn't remember much from science class, but one thing I did still recall was that sunsets were supposed to be colorful—unlike sunrises. If they were reversed, like today, it was probably going to rain. And Max and I going to the beach in the rain was a recipe for disaster.

Still, I had to admit waking up looking at Max's face with a nice sunrise in the background started off my day on a high note. That is, if Max even liked me back a little. She doesn't know, but I heard her talk to herself yesterday morning and say there was no chance of anything happening between us. If there was any silver lining on the cream pie of disappointment Max nailed me with yesterday, it was that she thought I was good-looking. That never hurt, right? I didn't let it get to my head, but I probably could've had my pick of the girls at my school.

Emphasis on _at my school._

Yeah. That doesn't include Max.

This time, my heart looks like the one that'll end up breaking. The odds of me getting Max to love me as more than a friend were about as good as those of Iggy taking her in a fight.

I was also not sure why I even took her up on the challenge she issued me yesterday. I was worried about her leg, yet that was the part of her body I grabbed. Maybe my subconscious knew Max was okay. At any rate, Max looked okay even if I _was _still a little on edge about her injuries.

During the fight, I off-handedly noticed we had our hands all over each other for most of it. God, that sounded so wrong. Anyways, it wasn't exactly like feeling her up, but we were all over each other like little bears. It made me a little uncomfortable, actually…that was odd, since if anything I was the one violating her.

Did I mention that Max is the cutest girl ever when she's mad? The way her eyebrows scrunch up, how her beautiful brown eyes focus with a wolf's intensity…you know what? Forget it.

"Ready to go yet?" Max asked, suddenly sitting up next to me.

"I think it'll rain today," I told Max. "There are plenty of cafes in the city, though."

The inevitable storm clouds weren't in sight yet, so Max and I ate breakfast before taking to the road. We were about halfway through the stash of food we bought a few days ago. We weren't short on dollars; we had at least four hundred left, probably more, but it was definitely something to think about. We were living on next-to-nothing, so the money we rationed for three months could dry up very quickly. Heck, when the Flock took me skiing several years ago, the ski passes and rentals cost over a thousand bucks. If only I had that kind of money…

But did I really want money? I was happy with my life. I had Max, and she was all I needed to be satisfied. Whether she was my best friend, dream girlfriend, or whatever, we shared a special bond. Max and I had seen each other's dark sides, and helped each other through some tough times.

Even though we both probably experienced our worst times before we met, it only strengthened the fact that we needed each other. I still hadn't wrapped my mind around the crazy sequence of events that had happened to me, but Max was a different story. She was a strong but hardened and unconfident person when we met. Now, Max was far more confident and willing to open up to the Flock. She was visibly happy, too—it was easy to see the passion in her eyes when she did something she loved.

We listened to the high-pitched call of seagulls that soared above us and took in the city's slightly salty scent as we walked down the street. It wasn't quite the boardwalk, but we were still less than half a mile from the beach.

Within fifteen minutes, we passed the blue and black lights of the Caribou Coffee we were at yesterday, but for consistency's sake, Max wanted to go to Starbucks. She threatened to take the fight I promised her yesterday indoors if I made a white girl joke, so I kept moving without question.

The rain began about an hour after Max and I made it to the nearest Starbucks. It was almost nine, but the sweltering sun we had gotten used to was already being forced out of the sky by a thick swarm of clouds. It wasn't a minute after the rain began when I realized a thunderstorm was upon us via the echoing claps of thunder and streaks of lightning running across the clouded sky.

According to the weather report, the storm was slated to be a short-lived one, ending by two in the afternoon. A five-hour intense thunderstorm, however, was more than enough to sufficiently drench the city. Staring out the window into the rain didn't exactly spark a desire to hit the beach, and I knew Max was with me. Why settle for today when we had forever?

As I closed the weather report, I remembered the email I sent to Ella. Regret and anxiety crawled through my veins, sending my heartbeat into a gradual but definite rise. Soon enough, it drowned out the noise of the bustling café.

Taking a deep breath, I decided there was nothing to do at that point except see what Ella had to say. I logged into my email and braced myself for the worst.

* * *

FANG OMG THAT'S SO GREAT! I WISH I CHECKED MY EMAIL EARLIER!

Have you asked her out or anything? Scratch that, you guys do everything together. But does Max know you love her?

And I'm pretty sure she loves you too, Fang. She just doesn't know it yet. If she knows you love her though, maybe she'll come to her senses at last.

Again this is so great! I'm so happy for you Fang! You better tell me everything that happens! Except for the makeout sessions. You can keep those between you too. That includes anything past first base as well.

Love,

Ella

P.S.: I always sign off with 'love', as you know. I didn't mean it personally, no offense. That's Max's job, isn't it?

* * *

I rolled my eyes. She never turned down the opportunity to push Max and me closer. Last week, it would've done nothing but absently annoy me. Now, if anything I was grateful. I needed all the help I could get.

How hard could it be to get a girl to like me back? It was so easy for me at school, and now it felt impossible. Heck, was there anything I could do? If Max didn't love me now, which I wasn't convinced she did, would she ever?

Politeness, looks, and athleticism were enough to win over most of the girls I'd dated in the past. I nearly laughed at the mere prospect of any of those being enough for Max. She probably had her share of guys to choose from at school, but she just wasn't into dating.

For better or worse, that included me.

Max knew exactly what I looked like, and maybe the one glimmer of hope was that she thought I was hot. She obviously also knew I was athletic. But I didn't have much else to show. Max knew almost everything about me, so if she didn't love me now, there probably wasn't much I could do.

It sucked. Big time. I'd never really felt so powerless. Sure, things could've been worse, but it was awful knowing the best thing to do was to sit back and wait. How was I supposed to be madly in love with my best friend and not say anything?

Even though the seconds ticked by as slowly as ever, time still went on. The smoothie machine behind the counter still whirred ever so annoyingly, customers still filed in and out of the building as always, and the clinking of change in the tip drawer didn't cease. It wasn't like life stopped just so I could sort out my dilemma. Things happened like normal, but I wasn't there to see them. At least, I wasn't paying attention to anything around me. If someone walked up and took my laptop, I might've just sat there and felt sorry for myself.

Anyways, Max and I sat in the café pretty much the whole day. We looked up some cool things to do in Santa Monica, with me avoiding Max's gaze the whole time, but didn't find much that either of us were interested in, besides the beach. That meant that we were probably packing up and heading out as soon as we were done with the beach, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If there was one thing I knew, I wanted to keep moving-mentally or physically. If I wasn't changing, I wasn't allowing myself to indulge in the possibility that things could get better.

Like now. I couldn't go five seconds without thinking of Max, and it wasn't the same way I thought of her last week.

"Fang?" Max said, fiddling with a few strands of her hair.

"Yeah?"

"Um, I just wanted to the clear the air a bit. I know it's been three days…but sorry about kissing you at the game. I was just pissed at the crowd, that's all," she said, her eyes flitting between mine.

My heart iced over in shock before sinking. But what was I supposed to expect? That Max kissed me because she wanted to? A likely story. "I figured. Thanks, though," I said, without a hint of emotion."

After the rainstorm stopped and night fell, Max and I ate dinner in the Starbucks and embarked on the hour-long journey through the post-thunderstorm air back to our sleeping spot. We were careful to avoid all the puddles on the sidewalk, since neither of us had a change of shoes. I used a dirty outfit to dry our sleeping area, and we lay down, looking up at the stars.

Just then, a bright shooting star arced through the night sky. Gazing at it as it crossed my field of vision, I made my wish before sighing and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What do you think Fang's wish was? Internet cookies to anyone who gets it right (which will probably be most people)!

Oh by the way, I'd love it if you could check out my side story, Two Worlds Collide!


	45. Chapter 37

Most of you guys were right! There's technically no right or wrong answer, but I had something like "He wished for Max to love him back" in mind.

Random Quote of the Week: _"I'M THE BEST CORNER IN THE GAME! WHEN YOU TRY ME WITH A SORRY RECEIVER LIKE CRABTREE, THAT'S THE RESULT YOU GONNA GET! DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT ME LIKE THAT!" -Richard Sherman, after the 2014 NFC Championship Game_

That was one of my favorite moments of 2014. Amazing play, funny trash talking, and impeccable execution in all phases. Thank you Richard Sherman!

Oh and about the new Max Ride book...it's actually coming out on May 18. It's been delayed unfortunately, although it didn't really surprise me since James Patterson is so dang lazy about releasing books. He did this with Nevermore...and 3 years later his habits are the same. Sorry for not saying this earlier, since I did say a while back I'd keep whoever doesn't know posted.

Awesome Review of the Week:

**DauntlessPokemonRide: **If I were Fang I would've wished for the Patriots to lose the Superbowl.

Yes! I hope they lose also.

Next update will come a little later. I'm away for the weekend at a basketball tournament and I can't bring my laptop so updating won't be possible. I'll do it ASAP though!

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Max, I've been thinking about something," Fang told me, as we ate breakfast on the wet grass in the clearing. The sun was out, shining directly in my eyes. Fang took my silence as an indication to continue. "I'm not sure how much longer we should be on the run."

"You want to _go home?_"

"I didn't mean right now," Fang said quickly. "But we've been on the run together for at least a month now. I've had a lot of fun, despite the hardships, and I hope you have too."

"It's been a blast. The best thirty-six days of my life, actually. But why do you want to go home? Don't you like it out here?" I said, my heart sinking. If Fang went back home, I'd have a huge mess to sort through before I could live a sedentary life again.

"I love being a runaway. Don't get me wrong. But we both know it can't last forever. And when we get back to living life normally, or at least as normally as we can live, we have responsibilities to consider. We can't last forever with the money we have. First off, I have senior year that begins in a month and a half. If I drop out of school, I'll need to get—"

"You care more about _school _than me?" I screeched, not believing what I was hearing. Fang gave me an amazing month-and-a-week, and he just wanted to take it away now? Didn't he want to be with me, too?

"That's not what I said!" Fang said through gritted teeth. "Listen for a minute, will you? I haven't planned anything out, but with more than a month to get back to Phoenix, we have time to have fun. Max, just think about it."

"So this is it? After all we've been through, you're ditching me in a month and a half," I replied bitterly. I shook my head. This wasn't happening.

"I'm not ditching you. You're coming with me," Fang said carefully, looking me straight in the eyes.

"And what if I don't?" My voice wavered just enough to let Fang know I didn't mean it. I'd follow him off the edge of the Earth if that was what it took to keep him with me. Still, Fang sighed and fixed his shirt, looking at the ground before setting his dark eyes on me again.

"Just give it a chance. Please, Max? If you can't stand it, I swear that I'll happily run away with you again once we save up some more money."

I didn't like it, but I wasn't going to get a better offer. "Deal," I said, offering Fang my hand. He shook it, and I oddly found myself not wanting him to let go.

I was planning to have our rematch of the fight today, but the past five minutes sucked the fight right out of me. I hugged Fang so he knew I wasn't mad at him, and by the way he reciprocated the act quickly I got the sense he wasn't upset either.

I missed the safety Fang's strong arms, shielding me from the cruel world around me. Even though I wished Fang enjoyed this as much as I did, he was probably thinking something like, _Oh, look at this. Another glorious emotional breakdown by Max. _Never mind, he wasn't that mean.

As time went on and I felt Fang's warmth become mine, I found myself wondering whether there was something more to my recurring desire to snuggle with him. It didn't feel normal…like, if I met some random cute eighteen-year-old guy, I wouldn't want this.

I tried to focus on other things, like the light blue, cloudless sky and the bark that was peeling badly on a tree several feet behind Fang. But my mind kept jumping to a horrible possibility: did I have a crush on Fang? As I thought about it more, it made more and more sense. Every time I caught myself staring at him, hope and dread simultaneously ballooned inside of me. It was awful.

After my arms finally grew tired, I let go of Fang. To my surprise and delight, it felt like he didn't want to let go of me either, based on how he was constantly adjusting his arms to keep me close.

We ate breakfast and headed into the city, where Fang noticed that the beach was still damp from the rainstorm. According to the weather report, there was no chance of rain today, so the beach was a yes as long as Fang was willing to put up with wet sand.

After we changed into jeans, Fang and I staked out a spot to set our stuff down, about a hundred feet from the tide. Fang's laptop was in his backpack, so he was keen on distancing it from the water. Thankfully, the beach wasn't too crowded so I wasn't worried about someone mistaking our bags for theirs or going out of their way to steal ours. Our backpacks were low-end and ratty, so they wouldn't be targeted by many thieves.

I noticed it well before we stepped off the boardwalk, but the slightly salty aroma from the sand and water I presumed was way stronger than I thought it'd be. The waves weren't rolling in too quickly, but boy, they were huge. I'd never seen an ocean this close-up except in pictures before, so at least the waves felt large. They crested at about seven feet, and with enough force to knock me down if I was caught under one. I made a note to myself not to go too deep; based on how the powerfully the waves were rolling in, I had no doubt the currents were strong as well.

When the waves connected with the sand, they sent a burst of foam rippling across the shore. I watched as the white bubbles fizzled out on the wet sand.

"Race you to the water?" Fang offered. He didn't even wait for my response before bolting down the beach with me hot on his tail. Just before we reached the water, I jumped on Fang's back and pulled him under the wave that just crashed down in front of us. The coldness pricked against my skin and made me shiver, but I laughed even as the wave pressed us against the sand, Fang not trying to escape. I let go of him as the water level receded to our thighs, allowing us to breathe.

"Call it a draw?" Fang said when he surfaced, rubbing his eyes. I nodded as he held out his hand to shake. I pretended to reach for his hand, but stopped short and splashed his face with water.

Fang recoiled, but he came right back at me. Using both hands, he sent a column of water at me. Just as another wave plowed us sideways, I raised my arms and blocked most of it, but my face still got drenched. A little water even got in my mouth. Thankfully, no more than a couple drops got to my tongue—they were more than enough of an indicator of just how potent seawater was. I'd never been to a beach before, so I didn't know what to expect.

I splashed him back, anticipating when the next wave would come so Fang wouldn't be able to block my attack. From there it turned into an all-out splash war. For the next fifteen minutes, Fang and laughed and screamed and splashed each other like little kids. It didn't matter to either of us that sand was accumulating under our clothes. Suddenly, when I sent a volley of water at Fang, he disappeared under the water. I dove under, hoping to catch him by surprise.

I swam around for several seconds, but I didn't sense Fang at all. I surfaced, preparing for Fang to ambush me, but he was still underwater. Suddenly, I felt a pair of hands grab my shoulders from behind. I turned around quickly, raising my fist, but stopped when I saw who it was.

Fang grinned at me, sending my heart into an inexplicable frenzy. "Gotcha."

As he looked into my eyes, I felt the weirdest thing. I _wanted _him to kiss me. I wanted him to close the space between us and let me melt into him forever. As the gap between my heartbeats began to close, I felt my mouth open slightly and close again.

I was definitely liking this guy.

Why hadn't I felt it sooner? It felt so obvious now. How could I have just ignored this for a month? The butterflies in my stomach? Those never really struck me as important.

_I denied it. _That was why. It was only today when I thought Fang was threating to leave me that my walls came crashing down and I finally realized I loved him. _I loved him._

With a pang of disappointment, I realized it was hopeless. Fang didn't love me back, at least not in that way. If he did, he probably would've said something when I downplayed the kiss yesterday. Or he would've reacted when I kissed him. Freaking unrequited love.

While lost in my thoughts, Fang took the opportunity to let go of my shoulders and splash me in the face. Just because I just fell for him didn't mean I was going to let up on Fang one bit. I laughed and splashed him back, and we were back at it again.

Finally, by the time we were both exhausted, we walked back to the beach where our stuff was waiting for us. The sand was still damp from yesterday's storm so we didn't get dry sand all over our makeshift bathing suits. We washed up in the outdoor beach showers and changed out of our soaking, sandy clothes.

The sun was reaching its peak, so Fang and I took it as a good opportunity to soak it in and relax. We spent most of the afternoon talking and lazing around, until Fang suggested that we take a walk along the beach. The red and orange sunset was beautiful, but it would've been even prettier if Fang just reached out and took my hand. Come on, Fang. Is it so hard?

We ended up walking for several miles along the beach until the sun went down. As we walked, I realized something—I didn't get claustrophobic when I was surrounded by so many people at the beach. That was a good sign, both for my phobia and more importantly, my recovery from the attack. It had been just over a week since I was attacked, but it felt like longer. Since I didn't flip out when I was surrounded by people, I was confident that the post-traumatic stress disorder wouldn't hinder me much in the future.

"Sorry about this morning, by the way," I told Fang. "I overreacted."

"It's fine. And I kind of lied too. I might not attend senior year, now that I think about it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

Fang took a deep breath. "Going back to school feels like going…backwards a bit, in a way. I mean, we're both eighteen. We're adults. We've been living on minimal help for a while now."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"What I'm saying is that it wouldn't feel right going back to school after living in the world for a month and a half," Fang said. "We could manage even if we both don't graduate from high school."

I opened my mouth to reply, but stopped as I realized something. Fang said _we. _That meant he saw a future for us together…but there were just too many reasons he meant _as friends. _"I guess so," I managed.

After we went back to our sleeping spot, Fang and I ate dinner. He dozed off quickly, claiming he was exhausted from all the splashing. After I was one-hundred percent certain he was sleeping, I took out my diary and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_It's official._

_I LOVE FANG._

_Yeah. Don't laugh. If you were me, you'd love him too. I know it._

_He's, like, the best guy ever. I can't believe I just discovered it now. He's making me all mushy and romantic now. It's awful. _

_Diary, need I say why? I'll just do it. Why not._

_First, he's sweet. He always tries to make me happy. He's also hot. Actually, that's an understatement. What about 'super-crazy-smoking hot'? That's more like it. _

_Did I really just write that?_

_Anyways, he's also an awesome hugger. He makes me feel so safe and invincible, which is hard with me. I've always been kinda vulnerable behind my confident front. Fang fixed that, more or less. _

_I guess Iggy was right. I was in love with Fang the whole time. I just didn't realize it. I feel so stupid right now, Diary. You have no idea._

_I could go on all day, but I think you're getting bored already, Diary. I'll tell you more later._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

At least Max fell in love in a lightly more reasonable way than Fang. You guys are gonna hate me for the next few chapters, I promise...at least on the bright side Fax is somewhat in sight now.

Question of the Chapter: Do you hate me or love me right now?

Question 2 of the Chapter: How long will it take until they realize they're both head-over-heels for the other?

SUPER BOWL! Are you guys as psyched as I am? (Probably not :P I've been unhealthily obsessed with football over the past few months.) GO HAWKS! #25 FTW!

Please don't forget to review!


	46. Chapter 38

Dang! The Super Bowl...you have GOTTA be kidding me...the Seahawks were so, so, so close. They have the best power back in the game and they throw a SLANT TO THEIR #3 RECEIVER AT THE ONE YARD LINE? UGGH just get out of here Pete Carroll. I could've made a better call than that, and I don't even play football (albeit, I'm a huge fan).

There. The rant is out.

But to any Patriots fans reading this, congrats to your Pats on a game well played. It was an awesome game beginning to end won by the team that played better. Although I don't like the whole Deflategate scandal or the "B**** Mode" t-shirts some Pats players held up (don't understand? basically, the Patriots had some t-shirts that insulted the Seahawks running back).

Oh, and **angelicxkitty: ***cough* You're the *cough* best and *cough* *cough* most awesome person in the world. *cough*

Sorry for the late update also. I was just at a basketball tournament over the weekend. It was awesome, even though we lost all three games by 20+ points each. I had some nice moments during it. On the bus ride up, I broke into my friend's bluetooth speaker connection and started playing Tik Tok. Everyone thought it was voodoo magic.

Oh, I also jumped out of my bus once, hit my head on the top of the door frame and collapsed on the floor. Everyone made jokes about it the whole trip, lol.

Random Quote of the Week: _"LIIIIIKE NEEEEEOON LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHTS!" -Demi Lovato, in "Neon Lights"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

As I lay awake in the grass, waiting for Max to wake up, I found myself wanting to fall back asleep and not have to deal with the tangled mess of a web that was my life right now. It felt like there were no right choices, only less wrong ones.

First off, how was I supposed to decide between staying on the run, while putting Max at risk, and returning home while making Max unhappy? I couldn't win.

I guess staying on the run was probably better for Max and me at this point, but I didn't want to push our luck. We'd had four near-disasters so far, which was four too many for my comfort. Plus, our time as runaways was limited regardless of what we did. Our small stash of money was definitely finite, so we'd _have _to return sometime.

If I had my way with the world, Max and I might be runaways forever. But alas, I don't. We both knew we'd be settling down at some point, probably in Phoenix since we had friends and Angel there.

I didn't want to tell Max, but one of the main reasons I wanted to get back was to give myself a head start in finding a good job—even if I didn't graduate from high school—that could help support a family. That's right, I saw Max and I raising a family in the future. Call me delusional, but it was hard not to fantasize about. The girl of my dreams being my wife forever? My head hurt from excitement just thinking about that. Even if Max and I weren't meant to get married, I still needed a good job when I got older.

Anyways, I got the sense that Max wanted to spend another day at the beach before we took off. So as soon as we were awake, fed, and changed, we headed out to the beach again.

As the surf came into focus, I remembered an awkward moment yesterday: when I snuck up on Max and she turned around, she just stared me. It wasn't more than a few seconds, but for once I had absolutely no idea what was going through Max's mind. Was it something like, _Wow, Fang, you're such a creeper_? Hopefully not, but I wouldn't have put it past myself to make that kind of impression.

So when we got to the beach, I was careful not to do anything even slightly sketchy.

That all changed when I saw a skimboard sticking out of the sand. Its faded coloration and slightly splintering wood suggested that it had been there for a while, but it looked usable from a distance.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Max told me, spotting the board. Before I had a chance to speak, she ran up to it and yanked it out of the sand.

We set our stuff down several hundred feet from the water, just to be extra safe, and jogged out to the water to try our hands at skimboarding.

Since Max was the one who got the board, she went first. To say the results weren't optimal would be an understatement.

Obviously, Max had no prior experience with skimboarding. She did know to set it down in motion and hop on, but that's about all she knew.

Her first mistake was chucking the board as hard as she could. It skimmed along the sand for several seconds as Max chased after it. The board spun around several times, losing velocity.

Max' second mistake was sprinting towards the board and not slowing down as she approached. She caught up quickly, but that's where the positives pretty much ended.

Max's final and worst mistake was leaping two feet in the air and landing on the board, causing its tip to dig into the sand. Max's feet slipped backwards, and she faceplanted in the sand just as a wave crashed down. The board slid up the beach, while Max was tossed through the water like a rag doll. She struggled uselessly to break free, only to find herself spitting out seawater as the wave receded.

I gave Max two thumbs up, which she responded to with an eye-roll. I figured Max was okay, but I jogged over and checked just in case. She had a cut just below her cheekbone, which I found adorable. Her cheekbone, not cut.

"Shoot, are you all right, Max?" I asked Max, looking at her cut.

Max rolled her eyes. "Of course. It's just a seashell." She grabbed the board and handed it to me. "Let's see you try," she challenged me. Max's curves were…rather hard to ignore in her wet shirt that was sticking to top half.

As I walked back to the water with the board in hand, I thought of a plan to avoid humiliation. I knew not to toss the board hard, and make sure to keep it straight. I also figured that it'd be helpful to slow down and you know, step onto the board, rather than jump on it commandingly.

I waited for a wave to deliver a film of water on the sand before sending the board on its way and stepping on.

I slid across the sand for at least fifty feet before the board ran out of momentum and came to a gradual stop. For effect, I stepped on the corner of the board as I got off and sprung it up into my hand, the way the surfers in movies did it. To my surprise, I aced it. I guess I was a natural.

"Not fair," Max said, walking towards me. "You got a good wave. I got a horrible one."

I laughed, knowing Max got a perfectly good wave. "Care to try again?" I asked, knowing Max was ready.

Somehow, Max managed to screw up even worse this time. Don't ask me how, but Max ended up sliding across the board, falling backwards, and hitting the back of her head on the wooden board.

"Ow," Max muttered, rubbing the back of her head as the wave trailed back into the sea.

"You have to slide the board when the water's at its highest," I told her when she got back to me. "If you wait for it to come down, it'll get stuck in the sand."

"Got it," she said, already on her way back to the water.

Needless to say, Max didn't look too much better on her next few tries. She avoided any further injuries, and actually managed to roll the board out, but she couldn't really step on properly. It just didn't come naturally to her.

After several tries, Max gave up. I expected her to spit out some more excuses in jest, but Max just sat down on my lap. "I need to warm up."

My heart pounded. What was I supposed to do? Wrap my arms around her? That's what I usually did, right? My neurons weren't firing at the moment.

I ended up kind of weakly setting my arms around Max. Call me cowardly or whatever, but it's not like any other guy would've been cool and composed with the one and only Maximum Ride in their lap. For the first time, I noticed the curious innuendo in Max's name. "Maximum Ride". How did I not notice it before? I guess the teenage guy in me was just coming to life. This wasn't a good sign.

We spent several minutes awkwardly sitting in silence and watching the waves crash into the shore before I suggested that I should teach Max the art of skimboarding in greater detail to prevent further accidents.

For the rest of the day, I did my best to help Max. She wasn't a natural like me, but she improved a lot so by the end of the day she could skim about thirty feet before losing her balance.

Of course, I had to take my turns as well. I did several spins and tricks, my hair spinning through the air. Max called me a show-off.

When the day was over, Max and I went to wash up in the beach showers. Thankfully, there were two individual restrooms so Max and I could both go at the same time. I felt bad about preventing the paying customers from using the restrooms for half an hour, but hey, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.

When we were back outside, I noticed Max's hair was still full of salt. I suddenly thought of a plan, causing me to grin.

"Max, I think there's a bit of salt in your hair. I'll get it out, okay?" I asked, fully aware of how awkward and probably knuckleheaded I sounded.

"I can do it myself," Max told me, rolling her eyes.

"Nah, I got it. I can see your hair better."

Max shrugged. "Okay."

I went to work, raking my hands through Max's hair. Once I was confident I got most of the salt and sand out, I pulled my move.

"Fang, what are you doing?"

"Checking around your neck."

"I'm pretty sure there's no sand on my neck."

"Okay—wait—there we go. I'm done," I said, stepping back to admire my handiwork. Max's hair was in a neat braid down her back, and I had to say it looked pretty good on her. I never really wanted to know how to braid hair, but Angel forced me to. At least it's pretty easy.

When Max noticed what I did, she looked at me strangely. "Fang, did you just braid my hair?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

I shrugged. "You haven't gotten it styled in a while."

Max laughed. "Very funny. Well, it's not really annoying so I'll keep it in. But don't expect me to be so eager again to get my hair tied in knots."

"I won't. Ready for dinner?"

Max grinned. "You bet."

When Max and I got back to our sleeping spot, the first thing we did was make sure we had everything packed so we could leave tomorrow. We left the skimboard back at the beach, since we had no use for it and so someone else could enjoy it as much as I did.

Out of the blue, I thought of an ingenious idea. A skimboard…in air. Pretty much a miniature hovercraft. That sounded like the coolest thing ever. Why hadn't anyone invented it yet?

When I told Max about my patent proposition, she laughed at me. "If only flying was that easy. I'd totally have one by now."

"Who knows, maybe one day we'll get our hands on some jet packs?"

* * *

They're both so awkward...I hope it's as torturously funny to read as it is to write.

Question of the Chapter: Would you be willing to repeat 4 years of school (this applies to adults, too, if any are reading this) in exchange for a jetpack and unlimited fuel?

Question 2 of the Chapter: Have you been skimboarding? If so, were you more like Max or Fang?

My answers: Probably not...4 years is a lot and I don't know what I'd do with a jet pack. And I have been skimboarding and looked an awful lot like Max...personal experience is where I got the idea for Max failing hahahaha...

Oh, and does anyone like rap battles? I have a story dedicated to them if you feel like checking it out. Who knew Fang could rap?

And also please don't forget to review!


	47. Chapter 39: Part 1

Random Quote of the Week: _"I'm just here so I won't get fined." -Marshawn Lynch_

Review of the Week:

**Guest: **Awesomeness lies in here.

For some reason I really loved that review.

Multi-part chapter alert! There will be three short parts, all narrated by Max.

Oh, and I took part in a three-point contest for my basketball team! The good news is that I didn't embarrass myself. The bad news is that I lost by a lot. I made five or six (I don't know, I wasn't counting) in one minute. I wish I could blame it on lack of warm-ups but the leader got 16 (how the heck do you do that?!) and didn't warm up much either.

* * *

**Max's POV**

I tried to avoid waking up so I wouldn't have to recall what I did yesterday. Unfortunately, I couldn't will myself back to sleep even though the sunlight was just starting to filter through the trees. To occupy my mind, I recounted yesterday's events while staring up into the sky.

My completely and utter inability to use a skimboard was the least of my worries. Although, that was pretty frustrating. Fang was doing all kinds of spins while I couldn't even get going until the afternoon. Probably the worst thing I did yesterday was randomly sitting on Fang's lap on the beach. Where was my brain when I did that? What the _hell _was I trying to accomplish with that? There was nothing good that could come of it.

To add insult to injury, Fang didn't really respond at all. He lazily draped an arm around me when I sat down. It was kind of frustrating, since he was usually more protective, in a sense, of me. Maybe it was better, though, so I wouldn't delude myself into thinking Fang had any feelings towards me.

It only occurred to me then how much I needed Fang for confidence. Even though I've only known him for a little more than a month, what I felt was so _real. _I wasn't faking toughness or confidence when I knew Fang had my back.

I once heard that guys were just as nervous as girls in relationships, but that definitely wasn't true in my case. First off, Fang had nothing to be nervous about. The cold, hard truth was that my feelings were unrequited. Un-freaking-requited. And girls didn't make Fang nervous. He told me all about his exes, and I now wanted to grab them by the throat and make them tell me what in the world they did to get Fang to like them.

I had everything I asked for when running away and then some, but I was missing the one thing I needed right now. Maybe I could depress myself back to sleep. That was better than another day of staring at Fang, praying he was as hopelessly in love with me as I was with him. He snuck up on me. There was no other way to say it. A week ago, he was just my best friend. I didn't even know how to act like a best friend to him anymore. It was almost like I was his fangirl since day one.

It was absolutely awful.

But at the same time, the rush I got when I pictured him leaning down to kiss me almost made it worth it. Key word: _almost._ That word would disappear if, you know, my dreams turned to reality.

But if I could fall out of love with him, would I really choose to do that?

Before I could ponder further, Fang said from behind me, "Think fast." I jumped up and turned around quickly and raised my arm, blocking a can of beans Fang lobbed my way. He shrugged. "You could've done worse."

I took a knife out of my backpack, opened the can, and ate the food. It was probably the fiftieth can I'd eaten since meeting Fang.

When he looked over at me to take the empty can, his eyes locked with mine a moment too long for my comfort. My heart raced. Did I look awful? Was my hair messed up?

_Since when did I care about how my hair looked?!_

I was one of those people who just hacked off their hair with kitchen scissors when it got in their eyes. Now I felt like I wanted it to look pretty. _Pretty? _What had I become?

That reminded me of when Fang braided my hair yesterday. It was random, and a bit weird, but I thought it was kind of cute. Nobody had ever done my hair before, and it turned out the guy I was trying to impress was the first person to do that.

Life has a way of spiting me.

"Ready to rock?" Fang asked me.

"Yeah," I replied, taking the map from him.

I looked around Santa Monica for a minute, but we pretty much covered everything noteworthy in the area. Riverside, Pasadena, Los Angeles—been there, done that. The nearest city worth consideration was Lancaster up north, and that was seventy miles away. There was no way we could cover that in a day, and there was pretty much nothing in between here and there.

As if reading my mind, Fang told me, "We can use a bus if we need to. I've rationed our money so we'll have two hundred bucks to spare."

"Lancaster it is, then. It's seventy miles north northeast of here, so it'll take two days running or one day on a bus. But we'll need to get food today, and it'd be better not to get it before we run, so bus it is I guess." God, I sounded so awkward. Or at least it felt like that. Maybe it was just me trying to be too perfect to Fang. My teenage mind muddled things up way too much.

"That'll work."

We went into the city and searched for buses from Santa Monica to Lancaster on Fang's laptop. The next one left this afternoon and took four and a half hours to complete the trip. After we picked up three days' worth of food, we waited out the next few hours in the café before heading to the bus stop.

I took it as an opportunity to get washed up and changed. I still had my damp beach clothes in my backpack, which we'd probably have to wash sometime soon. It didn't smell great, and would just be making everything I owned smell worse.

Fang and I got on the bus, which thankfully arrived on time, and found a pair of open seats at the back. We made our way through the aisle, surrounded by people looking like they wanted to be anywhere but here. I felt for them. Five hours on a crowded bus wasn't anyone's definition of a holiday, especially since Fang and I we were both slightly claustrophobic.

At least the bus was pretty nice. It wasn't like we depended on luxurious surroundings, but well-kept, high-quality seats, a clean interior, and air conditioning were always nice to have. It wasn't overly expensive, either—Fang told me that it was about fifteen bucks a person since it wasn't during peak hours.

To pass the time, Fang and I used Google Maps to see how far we were from Phoenix. To my delight, we had another few hundred miles before we even reached Arizona. If Fang kept his word on running away again if things didn't work out at home, though, it didn't really matter.

Unfortunately, regardless of what happened, we couldn't run away forever. I didn't want to think about our future, especially with my unrequited love and all.

We also looked through our map of California to find a route home, and it looked like we'd have to head south next. The Mojave Desert lay ahead, and as runners that was something we wanted to avoid. That meant coming back the way we came, but we could just stop by different cities.

San Bernardino, the closest major city not located in the desert, was about eighty miles southeast of Lancaster. From there, though, we had more options on how to get back to Arizona. I put the map away at that point so I wouldn't be tempted to plan anything. Part of the fun in running away was not knowing where we'd be in three days.

When the bus arrived in Lancaster, Fang and I got up to leave. Since we were in the back of the bus and there were lots of people getting off, we ended up getting stuck behind a long line of people. The long ride got me a bit carsick, so my eyes glazed over my surroundings as Fang and I waited for people to unload their bags from the storage compartments overhead.

A sudden crash right in front of me caught my attention. I sucked in a breath.

"Fang!" I cried, kneeling down. He lay on the ground, clutching his head. His eyes were squeezed tightly together and his teeth were clenched.

A basketball-sized round package lay beside him. "What in the…" I muttered, realizing what just happened. Someone probably picked up that package from the overhead storage and accidentally dropped it on Fang's head. From the way it was slowly rolling, it looked like it was dense and heavy.

"Max…Max…" Fang mumbled, shielding his eyes from everyone but me.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Where do I rank on your hit list right now?


	48. Chapter 39: Part 2

Random Quote of the Week: _"Wake me up, wake me up inside, can't wake up, wake me up inside, SAAAAAVE ME!, call my name and save me from the dark," -Evanescence, in Bring Me To Life_

I had a minor spazz-attack/breakdown/freak-out while listening to that song last week. XD

To everyone who didn't have me on your hit list...I'm surprised...so ENJOY THE CHAPTER! Bwahahaha...

To everyone who had me on your hit list...I feel honored to be there. Let's see what you think of the chapter, now...

And to everyone who's reading this...thanks for 900 reviews! Only 100 away from a thousand!

* * *

**Max's POV**

I looked him in the eyes, and we both knew we needed to get out of here. Fang probably had a concussion—his eyes weren't focusing on anything.

_Stay calm, Max._

After I slung Fang's backpack on my back, I bent down and hooked my arms around his shoulders, yelling at the passengers in the aisles to make way. Thankfully, they listened. Ignoring the bus driver's calls for us to get formal medical aid, I carried Fang down the steps and out of the bus.

"Let's find you a place to sit down…" I muttered, adjusting Fang in my arms. Hopefully nobody from the bus would pursue us.

"I—I can walk," he said, although he was still shielding his eyes from the sun.

"It doesn't matter. Look, we just need to sit you down. Then we'll talk," I replied. Bench? Didn't see one. What I did see, though, was a McDonald's half a block from the bus stop. I ignored the smell of barbecue coming from the bustling restaurant near us—it was the last place I wanted to bring a concussed Fang.

We managed to reach it within a minute, and I let go of Fang for a second to open the door. He tried to walk through on his own, but he stumbled quickly and spun around.

"You_ idiot. _I don't need your tough guy act right now, Fang," I said, sliding my arms under his shoulders again. We sat down at corner booth, away from the brightest lights. Now what?

"Fang, I'm gonna call Ella." I set our packs on the ground and rifled through his, looking for the paper with Ella's number on it.

We didn't have time for a payphone. Or, at least I thought we didn't. I didn't know much about concussions but I knew I had to act immediately.

I took out a water bottle, and made Fang take a few sips. After I found the paper, I scrambled to the table next to ours where a young girl was sitting and asked to borrow her cell phone. She—thankfully—obliged, and I called Ella once I put some distance between us so she wouldn't accidentally overhear me.

"Hello!" she answered.

"Ella! This is Max. Listen, it's a bit of an emergency," I began. "Fang got something dropped on his head and he collapsed. He's half-conscious now. I carried him to a McDonald's and he's sitting down now. What do I do?"

"How heavy was the 'something'?" Ella asked, her voice quick but calm and steady.

"I don't know. It was a package the size of a basketball."

"Have him ice his head a little. It sounds like it was painful. Make sure he doesn't move much in the next few hours. And make sure it's not too loud and the lights aren't too bright."

"How loud is too loud?" I asked.

"A McDonald's is probably fine, unless it's crowded. Get into a family restroom if you can, at least for the next half hour."

"Okay. Is that it?"

"No. Get painkillers sometime today. The adult kind for headaches. Any brand will do."

"Will do. Anything else?" I asked her.

"Not for now. Promise you'll call me back tomorrow, though."

"Will do. Thanks a ton, Ella." I ended the call and walked back to the girl's table. I thanked her quickly before checking up on Fang.

"Everything okay?" I whispered to him. He nodded weakly. "Don't force anything. I'll get you some ice."

Thankfully, the store manager was kind enough to give us a large container of ice without a purchase. I wrapped it up in one of my shirts and put the makeshift ice pack to his head.

"Don't go anywhere," I whispered, standing up. I checked the back of the store for a family restroom, but there was nothing but the two normal bathrooms. And I was _not _going into the men's room after all the rumors I'd heard at school about the boys' bathrooms. I wasn't interested in getting buried ankle-deep in toilet paper and pee as soon as I walked in. Of course it was an exaggeration, but since boys generally had lower standards for hygiene than girls, I felt safer staying away from their restroom.

I sat with Fang at the table, observing his recovery. Several times, I wished Ella was there since she'd be able to interpret most of Fang's symptoms. I noticed that his eyes started to focus on objects, which seemed like a good sign.

An hour later, Fang motioned outside, which I took to mean he wanted to walk around a bit. I helped him the way team officials in football helped injured players off the field. Fang was probably a little dizzy still, but his walking didn't seem too out of sorts. I mean, he wasn't tripping over me or anything.

I relayed Ella's words to Fang as we walked the streets for a drug store. It was pretty quiet since it was a weekday. We arrived at a CVS shortly, got the painkillers, and found a café where I could give Fang the pills.

"They'll kick in in fifteen minutes," I told him, trying to be concise. Even though I just spent an hour sitting in place, I didn't really feel like I was on a break until now. I'd done all I could to help Fang, and now all we needed was time.

I was proud of the fact that falling in love didn't cause me to lose my survival instinct and reflexes. I still made use of my resources to get Fang help as soon as possible. Only now, when I had time to sit and stare at his beautiful face, did I 'remember' how much I loved him.

Fang sat down and set his hands in his head, which reminded me how dizzying walking could be with a concussion. I had a mild concussion three years ago, and it wasn't pretty. Half an hour later, Fang looked up at me and spoke for the first time since he insisted he could walk. "Out," he said. "Let's get out of here." His voice was soft and lacked energy, but it was better than silence.

I helped him out of the store, only to be greeted by a series of raindrops to the head as soon as we started down the street. Something told me sleeping in the rain with a concussion was a bad idea.

"Back inside," I told Fang. "Rain." He nodded, and we turned around. I checked the weather forecast on Fang's laptop—without help—and found out that it was going to rain all night.

Groaning, I shut off the laptop. Couldn't we catch a break? It had rained three days ago less than a hundred miles from here. We'd have to spend the night indoors. And Fang had a freaking concussion.

I didn't like it, but we had no choice: Fang would have to subtly sleep somewhere open 24/7 while I stayed awake all night to keep watch. We pulled our last all-nighter together in a McDonald's, and there was one close by, so Fang and I decided to head there before the rain got worse.

When we found a booth in the corner of the store, Fang took out a can of beans for dinner and asked me to open it. Thank goodness he asked me—I didn't trust him with a knife right now. I handed Fang the opened can, and to my delight Fang was able to eat without issues. I made sure to watch him as he ate.

When he was done, I ate my dinner and ordered two iced coffees to help me through the night. We normally would've shared one cup, but it was especially important this time that I made it through since Fang needed to sleep.

"What happened?" Fang asked me, when I got back to the table.

"I just got coffee."

"No, earlier," he said. Oh, that's right. Concussions could also lead to memory loss. I had a vague memory of learning it in health class a year ago. Only now was I regretting not paying attention. At least we had Ella. She was basically our walking science textbook and fountain of common sense. Ella was a year younger than Fang, but they were both rising seniors for a reason. I was also willing to wager she was higher in the class than Fangles.

"How much do you remember?" I asked, trying to get a gauge for just how much Fang forgot.

"Not much," he admitted. "I remember getting on the bus. You told me it was our stop, and—" Fang frowned. "That's all I remember until when you gave me ice a few minutes ago."

"Fang, that wasn't a few minutes ago. It's been more than two hours."

Fang frowned. "Really? It might be my head. It's hurting for some reason." I was about to say, _No, duh, _but remembered Fang didn't remember the accident.

Forgetting about forgetting. That's funny.

"I'll fill you in. We were leaving the bus when someone accidentally dropped something on your head. You collapsed and I helped you here. I gave you some water and asked some girl to borrow her phone to call Ella."

"Who's Ella?" Fang asked, frowning.

* * *

And you thought last chapter's cliffie was bad...well, at least we know Fang's alive right now. I wonder how this new plot point will be worked around in the future...any predictions?

Question of the Chapter: Where do I rank on your hit list right _now_? Higher or lower than last chapter?


	49. Chapter 39: Part 3

Random Quote of the Week: _"Maybe it's truuuuue, I can't live without you, and maybe two is better than one, there's so much tiiiiiime to figure out the rest of my life, and you've already got me coming undone, now I'm thinking twoooo is better than one." -Boys Like Girls, in "Two Is Better Than One"_

It's a really amazing song if you haven't heard it...I've been addicted for a while now.

Review of the Week:

**HoOSuperfangirl: **If this story has taught me anything it's that you will survive as long as there is a McDonald's.

COUNTDOWN TO 1000: 76

I'll be doing this until we reach 1000, since the idea of that is too crazy and awesome not to.

* * *

**Max's POV**

I stared at him. No. This couldn't be happening. Fang did _not _just forget—"I'm kidding," he added, managing a weak smile.

"Not the time, Fang! I was seriously freaked out," I yelled, crossing my arms on the table. Fang never joked about stuff like that. I hoped it was his concussion talking, although I wasn't even sure that concussions affected behavior.

"Sorry," he said, although his half-smile told me he didn't mean it. "What did Ella tell you?"

"Not too much moving around, and bright lights and loud noises are big 'no's'. She said to get painkillers and ice. She also recommended a family bathroom, but there's none of that here," I said. Fang was staring at the table, but I knew he was listening.

"Let me get this straight," Fang began. "We're getting off the bus, someone drops a…what was it?"

"I don't know. It was the size of a medicine ball and looked pretty heavy."

"Got it. So it fell on my head, I went down, and you carried me—"

"I didn't really carry you. You know how football players are helped off the field? That's how I did it. You tried to walk on your own when I let go of you to open the door, but you stumbled and spun around," I told him.

"You're not lying to get revenge on me for my joke, right?" Fang asked, eyeing me carefully.

I glared at him. "Yeah, I'm taking advantage of your painful head injury to embarrass you. No, of course I'm not lying."

Fang stifled a yawn. "I can never be sure with you."

"Says the person who pretended not to know Ella just to scare me."

"Would you rather be the one to get hit in the head?" he said, although his light tone told me he was joking. If I could've taken that knock for him, though, I would've in a heartbeat. I couldn't help thinking that if I was paying attention, I might've been able to push Fang out of harm's way.

"Think of it as taking one for the team," I suggested. "If you weren't there, I would've been hit."

"Yeah," Fang said, yawning. "And _what _a pity that would've been." I started to protest, but Fang cut me off. "Whoa there. I'm kidding, Max."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure." I guess concussions really did bring out the annoying side of people. Did Fang think this stuff about me normally? Even though he was joking and concussed, those words didn't come from nowhere.

Fang yawned again. Shoot, he must've been really tired after all that walking, especially since he was concussed. I cursed myself for keeping him up. "Go to sleep, Fang."

He checked his watch. "It's just eight. I'll sleep later." Another yawn.

"Don't be stupid. I'm trying to _help _you. I'm not your mom giving you a bedtime."

"Then you don't need to act like one," he said lazily, his words slurring. Another yawn.

I was close to getting mad, but I decided to cut Fang some slack until he recovered more. "Just go to bed, please."

"But I'm not tired," he argued. With that, his face plummeted towards the table, and he was out like a light. Thankfully for him, his arms were there or else he would've hit the wood pretty hard. As stupid as Fang looked, it was actually kinda cute.

I took a sip of the iced coffee. I wasn't a big football fan, but I heard about the concussions that players got and the devastating side-effects. For the most part, I was relieved—Fang was able to talk with me just fine, if you ignored his minor attitude. I wasn't a hundred percent sure yet, but it felt like we dodged a bullet here.

But what if when Fang regained consciousness from getting hit, he didn't remember me? How devastated would I have been if that happened? I didn't even want to think about it.

Worse yet, what if Fang died? Could I live with him never knowing I loved him? Anything could happen to us at any time as runaways. How many more chances would I have?

Maybe talking to Angel would be helpful. She knew Fang better than anybody. Even though she was just ten, I had a feeling she was the only one besides maybe Ella and Dr. M who could _really _help me. I had to get it off my chest. Ella was always an option, but she was in close contact with Fang and talked a lot, so the chances of her slipping were too high for comfort.

Anyone with an ounce of confidence in themselves when it came to romance would've confessed their feelings directly to the person they were in love with, but that wasn't me. I fought better than most grown men, yet I couldn't even say three stupid words. It wasn't like I gave it a formal try, but I could've totally pictured myself stuttering unconfidently while spitting out something like, "Fang, I-I, um, I lllllove y-you…tube?"

I started to understand why my classmates, whom I hadn't seen in what felt like forever, had the urge to make out all the time. I used to feel disgusted, awkward, and repulsed while walking through the 'couples hallway'. Now, I would've traded anything for Fang to pin me against the lockers and kiss me like he meant it.

I felt my bladder tense up, so I took a bathroom break. Getting in and using the bathroom wasn't my issue. Walking back to my seat, however, was.

As I pushed open the door, I tripped on the door frame and pitched forwards, my head bumping up against the heavy wooden door. I spun to my left to prevent my face from hitting the handle, but fell backwards, away from the bathroom, as soon as I spun since I was off-balance.

I landed on something hard, and somehow I ended up sprawled across the tiles, my clothes dripping with cold water. I pushed a wad of fabric off my face, only to find it was the wet end of a mop. The floor around me was covered in water from the mop bucket, I presumed, I just knocked over.

I sat up and found myself looking up at a young woman maybe a few years older than me with long, blonde hair. Thankfully, she looked more bored than upset.

"I'm sorry," I told her, swallowing my pride. I learned my lesson from the time I spilled a woman's coffee in Los Angeles. That didn't end well. "I'll get it cleaned up."

She waved her hand, rolling her eyes. "It's fine. I have nothing better to do anyways."

"No, I'll do it. It was my fault," I said firmly.

The janitor shrugged. "If you insist."

I started back towards the bathroom, but I was so caught up in making sure the girl wasn't mad at me, I forgot the floor was flooded. I immediately slipped, and my feet flew backwards. I landed on my back—_hard_—sending a shock through my body. This time, all that was going through my mind was, _Thank goodness Fang's asleep._

The janitor laughed without humor. "Seriously, girl. It's my job to do this stuff," she said, though her eyes were intently fixed on something to her left.

"What are you staring at?" I asked, curious.

She waved her hand. "Guy with cute hair asleep at a table over there," she said, without a trace of enthusiasm.

"Oh," I said, like it was no big deal. I would've been mad if I was surprised in the least. She'd be in for a pleasant surprise if she got a chance to see Fang's face.

"Get yourself cleaned up," she told me. "And if you wanna help, grab some paper towels."

I obliged, this time carefully tiptoeing around the ten-foot puddle I created to reach the bathroom. I was just grabbing a stack of paper towels when I heard a voice behind me.

"What are you doing in here?" a young masculine voice asked. Was there a peeping Tom in here or what? I balled my fists before turning around and replying.

"Getting paper towels. You?" I asked the boy behind me. He looked like a young high school student or eighth grader.

"Going to the bathroom. This is the men's room," he said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

I paused, looking around the restroom. It only struck me now that it looked different than the ladies room. _That's_ how I managed to make it in here while avoiding the puddle. The puddle was right in front of the women's bathroom.

How is it possible for someone to screw up this many times in a row? I remembered Fang's series of hilarious mistakes in the Starbucks restroom in the Big Orange, and I completely put him to shame.

"Oh…shoot, sorry!" I stammered, rushing out of the restroom. The janitor was waiting for me, her eyebrows raised.

"Have fun in there?" she asked.

I glared at her, handing her the paper towels. "I'll let you handle it."

"Good idea, girl."

"Thanks for everything," I said, walking back to the table where Fang was still fast asleep despite the racket I'd created.

I changed in the bathroom and took out my braid—it was getting annoying—and returned to our table. The janitor girl was already done cleaning up the mess I made and had moved on to another part of the store. I sat down at the table and took a long sip of coffee, nearly finishing off our first cup.

I checked Fang's watch, and it was just after nine. Assuming the sun rose at six, I had to last until then plus however long it took to get out of the city and find a sleeping spot. It sounded like a bad idea—neither of us would be attentive. But we didn't have much of a choice at this point. Stupid rain.

To pass the time, I took out my diary and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_God, everything's been going wrong for me. If you ask me, this is more deserving of a news article than me running away. Anyone can run away. Only a select few are klutzy enough to pull off what I just did._

_Anyways…I'm so confused right now. I'll try to organize it here, since my brain can't analyze squat. Here are my options right now._

_1) Tell Fang I love him, and risk him not wanting to deal with me anymore. Can I really do this, though? I'm not confident enough. Plus, if he ditches me I'm majorly screwed. It'll take a ton of work to get my life back together._

_2) Don't say anything and suffer in silence. In theory, sure, this is probably a better idea. But there's a huge difference between theory and reality. I only get one shot at life, since I don't believe in an afterlife. I should make it count, even if I have to take risks along the way. After all, risks are nothing new to me._

_God, this is awful. Actually, you know what? I choose option one._

_That's right, Diary. I'll tell Fang I love him. Whatever happens will happen. I don't care that guys are supposed to say it first._

_Now that that's out of the way, how am I supposed to be confident enough? Wait—I just thought of something. _

_I could practice while he's asleep. If it turns out he's awake, I would've gotten it over quickly and easily. If he's asleep, I'm still getting used to saying it to him._

_On that note, let's do it._

_Love,_

_Max_

I put my diary away and faced the boy in front of me, his face still buried in his arms. I took a deep breath to steady my heart rate, trying to think of what to say.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Nope. Nooooope. Not happening. I'll do it later.

_But Max, you'll never get a better chance._

I always sleep later than him. I'll practice later.

_What happened to the resolution you just made?_

Screw it.

_Max, you're not backing out now. He's asleep, for goodness sake._

Watch me.

I buried my face in my hands, shaking my head. This was way too hard. How the _hell _was I supposed to tell Fang I loved him to his face if I couldn't do it while he was asleep?

Actually, maybe it's better this way. If Fang doesn't love me back, nothing I say will help me. It'll just embarrass me and destroy my confidence further.

But if Fang does love me, he'll approach me first, right? He's been around the dating block. He knows what to do. I, on the other hand, had no idea where to start. Was there a Romance 101 course I missed in school? My head felt like it was about to explode. I didn't even know what to blame it on. I just needed to clear my head.

I stood up, stretched out, and walked around a bit in front of the McDonald's. The fresh air helped immediately, clearing my brain. I hadn't been keeping track of time lately, but it was at least ten thirty. Great. Only seven and a half agonizingly boring hours to go. I couldn't spend the whole time thinking about Fang unless I wanted to run out of energy fast. For some reason, sweating it out about how I was going to confess to Fang took up way more energy than it should've.

I walked back inside, looking for things to do to pass the time. My eyes glanced over Fang's laptop as I sat down. Hmm. Not a bad source of entertainment. What could I do that was useful, though, that didn't involve breaching Fang's privacy?

Not much, actually. He had a password for a reason, even though he didn't seem upset when I found out what it was. If only he told me all his secrets in his sleep…

I had time to call Ella now, but it wasn't the best time of day. It could wait until tomorrow.

I eventually settled on doodling. I took the piece of paper containing the Flock's phone numbers from Fang's backpack and started drawing on it. I didn't have anything in mind, just abstract lines and shapes.

I drew until I felt like the paper couldn't handle any more ink. It was covered with figures from corner to corner, except for where the actual phone numbers were. I held it up, trying to figure out what I just drew.

There was something like a cornucopia in the top-right corner. It was made of small triangles and rectangles, like a three-dimensional, futuristic cornucopia.

There was a heart in the middle, several inches below where it would be if the paper was a human body. It didn't look at all like a typical heart drawing, though. Its jagged edges made it look mechanical, while most hearts were anything but mechanical.

There was a star at the top, just where it would be if the paper was a Christmas tree.

I gave up from there. There were too many lines for me to look too deeply into the picture without getting a headache.

I heard a beep in front of me. It must've been Fang's watch, telling me it was midnight.

* * *

Pssssssych! I'm not thaaaaat mean. Plus, making Fang forget Ella would really throw off the plan I have for this story...I know it was a poorly executed cliffhanger, but it was completely worth it. I was touched by the reviews for last chapter.

Question of the Chapter: Am I forgiven yet? Or are you still annoyed about the lack of Fax?


	50. Chapter 40

Random Quote of the Week:_ "Throw it away, forget yesterday, we'll make the great escape," -Boys like Girls, in "The Great Escape"_

SNOW DAYS FOR THE WIN! Missed three days of school this week! Instead of sitting in a classroom, I spent time eating ice cream in the snow while lying on the roof of my dad's car.

COUNTDOWN TO 1000: 61

* * *

**Fang's POV**

I felt my head vibrate, like an aftershock of the concussion. Was it really that bad? When I opened my eyes, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Max shaking my shoulders. That was the good news.

The bad news was that my head hurt like _hell. _I groaned and winced as I attempted to sit up to no avail. My head was spinning way too much.

"Wake up, Fang. We gotta hit it," she said, her voice slurring.

"Pain—painkillers," I managed.

"Oops, my bad." Max fished through her bag and handed me two pills. "They'll kick in in fifteen minutes." I swallowed the pills.

Max paced back and forth, probably trying to stay awake, next to the table as we waited for the medicine to kick in. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was sitting on an uncomfortable bench and there was a table in front of me. I was in a building with a row of windows to my right, white walls…it felt familiar, I just couldn't seem to—oh, I remembered. We crashed in a McDonald's since it was raining last night.

I immediately felt a burst of gratitude towards Max for taking one for the team in the form of that all-nighter. She might not have needed to, but since I got concussed and dozed off Max was forced to make sacrifices for my benefit. Of course I would've done the same for her; having each other's backs became an instinct for us. Even though I was interested in more than friendship, that was one thing that wouldn't change.

"Let's hit it," Max decided, after twenty minutes. "I haven't slept in twenty-four hours. Let's just find a place to sleep."

I stood up quickly, immediately regretting it. My head spun and I stumbled slightly, forcing me to sit back down, taking deep breaths. A minute later, I tried standing up again—slowly—and walking several paces. I felt much better than yesterday, which wasn't saying much, but I could definitely walk out of the city without help.

We walked down the street until Max tugged my arm. "Picnic table," she said, nodding towards a triangular, cemented area next to the sidewalk the size of a baseball diamond, At least half a dozen picnic tables were grouped together in the center. Even though the tables were splintering and soaked with rainwater, Max walked to the nearest one and promptly fell asleep sitting down. As she set her head down, her hair flipped forwards and landed in a mop on the table.

It was a meaningless gesture, really, but my heart did a flip immediately. I don't even know why. I had no explanation for most of the things I felt. Even though it was unintentional and endearingly awkward, Max's improvised hair-flip brought back memories of the infamous line in One Direction's hit, What Makes You Beautiful. Confession time: I may or may not have gotten hooked on that song and memorized it, blaming it on Iggy whenever I was caught humming it.

I sat down across from Max, noticing she took out the braid I implemented. Figures. My braids never lasted too long and were usually flimsy, although I made sure to do a good job with Max's.

Her hair was light brown, but in the harsh sunlight it glowed a brilliant gold. The sun brought every strand to light, making Max look almost like…an angel.

_Angel._

Damn, I missed her so much. It had been a month since I last saw her. I hadn't even thought about her for at least a few days. What kind of big brother was I? Forgetting about my little sister just because I fell in love?

I promised myself I'd call her as soon as possible. Maybe even today, if we got the chance.

I thought about checking my email to see if Ella had any legitimate Max-related advice, but I decided against it due to my concussion. The Wi-Fi from the Starbucks two buildings down was either nonexistent or awful at this distance, and looking at screens with a concussion wasn't a good idea.

After taking a sip of water, I decided to walk around a little. Max would need about seven hours of sleep after her all-nighter for enough rest to function efficiently but not too much so that she wouldn't be tired this evening. All-nighters really messed up our sleep schedule.

I wondered when I'd be able to run again. Three days? A week? I felt a bit light-headed when I walked, but it was nothing too bad. The minor case of blurry vision I experienced yesterday was gone.

I ended up spending most of the seven hours walking around, not straying more than a hundred feet from Max. The area of Lancaster we were in felt a bit like it was designed to appeal to tourists, with its light-colored buildings, wide sidewalks, and trees planted at similar intervals along the sidewalk. If I didn't know better, I would've assumed it was near the coast. It reminded me of pictures of Miami.

As I walked, I couldn't help but wonder…what if I died? Max would never know I loved her. How many more chances would I have to tell her how I felt before my time ran out? The scary part was that I didn't know.

I thought of all the times Max and I laughed together and snuggled in the moonlight. I remembered the time we got separated on the way to Los Angeles. When I found Max beat up and bloodied, not knowing how it could've possibly happened.

I remembered the moment Max kissed me a week ago.

I _had _to tell Max how I felt.

If she didn't love me back, hopefully, _hopefully _we could laugh it off and move on. The ensuing awkwardness would've been deadly, but at least I wouldn't have to live not knowing what could've been.

I gave myself two days. Within two days, I promised myself that I would tell Max I loved her.

Now, about the details…I could do it next next evening. I'd walk up to Max, tell her we needed to talk, and—well, that was all I had so far. I didn't think Max would've appreciated it if I randomly grabbed her and kissed her. The awkwardness after _that _would've made rejection seem like a picnic.

I'd figure it out later. I still had two days left to work up some serious confidence.

At one in the afternoon, I decided to wake Max up. I felt a tad guilty about it, since I never appreciated it when Angel woke me up at five in the morning for whatever reason.

When she got up, Max insisted on heading indoors to plan the day since the bench was wet and uncomfortable. We stopped by a mall, but I decided that it was too loud and bright for me at this point.

We eventually settled on the first floor of a hotel. It was over our heads in fanciness, but the people at the front office weren't going to stop us from using their facility since they didn't know if we were going to rent a room or not. Soft music streamed through numerous speakers of the green and yellow tiled room, but it wasn't loud enough to affect my concussion.

"We need to go to the laundromat sometime today," Max said. "My clothes are filthy."

"We can find one later. Didn't you say something about Ella giving you concussion advice yesterday? We should probably call her back," I replied.

Max nodded, spinning a few strands of hair between her fingers. "I promised her I would. We should probably do that first."

"Yeah, that's a good idea," I agreed. "No doctor, right? Not worth the risk to me."

Max shook her head. "Probably not, as long as you feel fine. Ella the doctor-in-training should be enough."

"I also want to talk to Angel," I added. "I haven't talked to her for a _month._"

Max stared at me, stunned. "You're right. How did we forget about her?"

I looked down at the shiny wood table between Max and I. "I really don't know. I feel guilty as hell. Better late than never though, right?"

"I guess so. Do you want more time in here or are you ready to go?" Max asked, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

I stood up. "I'm ready."

After getting some quarters from the hotel front desk, Max and I walked around the town until we found an old-fashioned payphone.

I took out the papers in my backpack containing Ella's and the Flock's phone numbers, and to my surprise the latter was covered in assortment of drawings and scribbles.

"About that," Max told me, blushing. "I was bored last night."

I laughed. No wonder Max's pens ran out so fast if she did this stuff.

I slid two quarters in the payphone and dialed Ella's number.

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

"Hello," Ella said. "Is this Max?"

"Fang," I told her.

"Oh, sorry. How are you feeling, Fang? Does your head still hurt?"

"Not really, but I took some painkillers this morning for it. My head hurt pretty badly when I woke up."

"Okay, that's normal. I think you're fine, but can you give the phone to Max?" Ella asked. "I'd like to hear everything that went down, and no offense, but Max probably remembers it better than you."

"None taken," I said, giving Max the phone.

She told Ella every detail of everything that happened, making sure to mention some of my smart comments yesterday evening. To be fair, I was being a jerk. I don't even know why I pretended not to know Ella. That wasn't something to joke about.

Thankfully, Ella assured Max that concussions did in fact have an effect on behavior. Hopefully Max would cut me a little slack.

After a few minutes, Ella said she had to go but we had everything we needed. She told us to hold off on any more running for a few days, be careful in general like always, and call her immediately if anything felt off. She also suggested getting evaluated by a doctor, but told us there was a very good chance the concussion would be gone sooner rather than later without major issues.

I put another two quarters in the payphone and asked Max to step out of the booth. "Angel," I told her. She nodded understandingly and left without question.

Since Angel didn't have a phone, I dialed Nudge's number. I hadn't talked to her in a while either, so now was a good time to catch up.

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

_RRRRRIIIIINGGG!_

"Hello!" Nudge exclaimed cheerfully through the phone.

"Hey, Nudge. It's Fang."

"FANG! How are you? Are you still in California running around? Can you really run fifty miles straight? I mean, that's so cool. You're like a car. Just a slow car. No offense! Oh, is Max still with you? She's cute. You guys should get together. You guys would make the—"

"Nudge! Sorry for interrupting, but I have a concussion. I can't keep up with you. But we're still in California and doing well," I informed her. I wanted to tell her more, but now wasn't the time. I'd catch them all up another day.

"That's good," Nudge said, slightly deflated. "So…is there a particular reason you called or do you just want to talk? I haven't seen you in, like, forever, so I'd be happy to talk if you want to. I like talking in general." _You got that right, Nudge._

"I need to talk to Angel, but first tell me how it's been between you and Gazzy."

"Oh, um…well we kinda broke up. Dating was so weird since we were so close and we knew each other for so long it was like we were siblings. Gazzy understood, thank goodness. He's not mad or anything. We're still besties!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Nudge," I said. "But I'm glad you're still friends. Anyways, is Angel there?"

"Yeah, she's making ice cream with Gazzy. It's mint chocolate chip, I think. I had to go with them to get chocolate chips yesterday! I can't believe Gazzy likes bittersweet—sorry." Thank goodness, Nudge caught herself. "I'll give her the phone."

"Thanks, Nudge. And can you make sure Angel's alone? Just some sibling stuff."

"Of course!" Nudge chirped. I heard a staircase rattling slightly as Nudge bounded down it and flew into the kitchen. "Angel!" I heard faintly. "It's Fang! He wants to talk to you alone."

"Nudge, help Gazzy for a minute please," Angel asked her. "Fang?" she said, her voice finally clear. I heard her quiet but distinct footsteps, and then a door closing.

"Hey, Angel. How's it been at home lately?"

"Great, I've been staying with Ellie. But that doesn't matter. Are you calling about Max?" Angel asked. How did she know? I didn't say anything about Max…oh well. Angel knew me way too well, probably better than I knew myself in some ways.

"Yeah. I fell in love with her, Angel. I don't think she loves me back but I have to tell her sometime."

"You do," Angel agreed. "And even if she doesn't know it now, Max will realize she loves you when you tell her. You're sweet and strong, and I know Max thinks you're good looking. That's all she could ever ask for in a guy."

"I don't know," I admitted. "How should I tell her?" It didn't feel weird or embarrassing at all asking Angel, who was seven years younger than me, for relationship advice. That was just how it was between us.

"Just say it straight. _I love you, Max. _You can elaborate a little after, or tell her why you think you love her, but cut to it. It's harder to chicken out that way."

"Why do you think I'd chicken out?" I asked. Of course, Angel was a hundred percent correct to suspect I might.

Angel giggled. "Oh, please. I can practically feel the nervousness in your voice just talking to me. You love her, Fang. You really do."

"I know. But Angel…what if she laughs at me or rejects me? That would be so awkward."

"She won't, I promise. Fang…what reason do you have to doubt yourself when it comes to girls?" Angel asked.

"I…don't know," I admitted.

"Then go for it. Are you nicknamed Fang because you're a coward? Go get her, tiger."

"I will," I assured her. "And thanks for the pep talk, Angel."

"What are sisters for?"

"This, I guess. And Angel…I'm coming home. Max doesn't like it, but we both know I can't last forever."

"I've known you would since you left, Fang. That's why I didn't try to stop you. And don't worry, I haven't told the others." Okay, that surprised me. _I _didn't even know if I'd be coming back.

"And I'm glad you haven't," I told Angel, "but can you tell Dr. Martinez I'll be home in a month and a half at most?"

"Will do," she said. "You'll be staying here, right?"

I sighed. "At least for a while. I don't want to get in Dr. Martinez's way too much. I already made her drive to Los Angeles when Max got hurt two weeks ago."

"I understand. But I'll tell you anyways—she honestly doesn't mind. I was a bit hesitant at first to come, but she truly is willing to help."

"I know. But I'd rather live on my own."

"I've realized. Who else would choose to go on a five-hundred-mile trip out of their own free will instead of staying with their friends?" Angel said, with a small laugh. I heard a faint yell in the background and Angel reply, "One minute!"

"I'll let you go now," I told Angel. "Good luck with the ice cream."

"Thanks! I hope Gazzy hasn't eaten it all yet."

"Weren't you guys just busy making it?"

Angel sighed. "That doesn't stop Gazzy from dipping his finger in and stealing licks. It's really gross. I made him wash his hands every time, though."

"That's good. I'll talk to you later, Angel."

"You too, Fang," she said, hanging up the phone.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Who's more perverted, Fang or Iggy?

I personally think it's Fang, since he's gotta be hiding _something _behind his emotionlessness, right?

Guess what, guys? It's chapter fifty here. We should do something special...ooh, I have an idea. I'll probably regret this, but feel free to ask me any question and as long as it's not too personal I'll answer it in some form in next chapter's A/N. It can be embarrassing, random, crazy, whatever. I might be being stupid, but I dare you guys to make me regret this. Please don't forget to review! I'm already excited to read you guys's questions!


	51. Chapter 41

Random Quote of the Week: _"I want you to know that it's our time, you and me bleed the same light, I want you to know that I'm all yours, you and me run the same course," -Zedd feat. Selena Gomez in "I Want You To Know"_

COUNTDOWN TO 1000: 28

I wish I could've updated sooner! The feedback from last chapter was amazing, it was the. Alas, I was out skiing yesterday with my friends and trying not to embarrass myself too badly. It was lots of fun though!

Question time! If you're not in the mood for some Q&amp;A with your favorite author, feel free to skip to the line break where the chapter begins.

**Lexysharvey: **What's the most embarrassing/awkward moment/situation you've had with a guy you had a crush on? What's you're biggest fear?

I'm a straight male (I'm not offended, don't worry!), so I've never had a crush on a guy. Most embarrassing moment I've had with a girl I've had a crush on? Um...nothing really embarrassing but this one was humiliating. In 6th grade I spent forever getting up the courage to ask my crush (and later girlfriend) to a dance, and I was so excited when she said yes. I was really psyched for the dance, but that was until I got there...she was cuddling in a corner with another guy...I was like "WAIT WHAT WHY DOES LIFE HATE ME SO MUCH?".

My biggest fear? Probably claustrophobia.

**fang2ooo:** Are you hopelessly in love with someone?

Not right now. Four months ago, though, definitely.

**BiteMeBro552:** Who and when did you have your first kiss (with)?

Haven't had it yet, so nobody.

**ALICEMAXLANA: **WHAT'S THE MOST EMBARRASSING THING U EVER DID!?

Hmm...I can't really think of one super embarrassing moment. I'll give you two semi-embarrassing moments though:

1) Two years ago, my class and I were on a camping trip and we were preparing dinner. Our teacher asked who wanted to prepare lemonade and I raised my hand quickly and yelled "ME!". Everyone probably expected me to be a gourmet lemonade chef...turns out I can't even prepare it right. I used way too much powder so it tasted really strong, and I mixed it with HOT WATER. How was I supposed to know not to?! I'm terrible at cooking. So I walked to the table where my class was patiently waiting and made a show of entering with a huge pitcher of lemonade and poured a cup for my friend. He tasted it and pretty much gagged a sip down and said something like, "Did you seriously use hot water?" I nodded and said something like, "Just enjoy it." I wasn't really embarrassed, but everyone laughed at me. Good times.

2) In kindergarten, I threw up in the swimming pool during summer camp. They had to shut the pool down and clean it up and stuff. I was really embarrassed, but thankfully nobody knew it was me. Some people asked me, and I was like, "Nope! Not me!" Ahahahahaha.

**Hermionehp135: **Which artist is your guilty pleasure? Who are you most embarrassed about listening to?

Ummmmmmmmm...I'll deny I ever said this but *stage whispering now* One Direction has some addicting songs. My friends would laugh at me if I said this, but Live While We're Young and Night Changes are epic songs.

**Montana89 **and** crazydasiy-in-tha-house: **Are you a virgin?

Haha, I had a feeling someone was going to ask this. In case you weren't kidding, I am a virgin and plan to be for the forseeable future. I'm a kid, and will be legally underage for a few more years.

**iluviggyhesthebest: **How much do you weigh?

Haha Kaykay, I thought you were going to find a worse question to ask. This one isn't bad. I weigh about 130 pounds.

**Guest: **Are you dragging this story (if there is any) so you could get 1000 "reviews"?

Haha, I must admit that review amused me. No, I am not dragging the story to run up the review count . I'm "dragging it on" (it doesn't really feel like dragging on to me, but reading through I can understand where readers are coming from) because I wanted to work on a long-term writing project that feels somewhat realistic. Trust me, I would absolutely not continue something I didn't enjoy doing just to see my name on a leaderboard. I'll be the first to say that's stupid. And if you don't like this story, I'd honestly be very happy to recommend some books or fanfics to you that you may enjoy more! Just ask, and ye shall receive. If you have any particular criticisms for ANB that you'd like to share, I'd be happy to listen and grateful for the help. And I'm not sure why you keep blatantly insulting me without giving me a reason why, it's a bit confusing (albeit amusing). Sorry if I sounded disrespectful or anything - I was just a bit confused by your comment.

**Graceless0ne: **Are you freaking insane in the head?

Probably.

**MaximumNotMaxine: **Have you ever accidentally gone into the girls' restroom/locker room? If so, did a girl see you? Where do you live?

Nope! Knowing how klutzy I am, I'm really surprised I haven't done that. That would be embarrassing though...

I live in the U.S. in the Eastern time zone. Not gonna go more specific than that.

**DntlessAnnabeth: **Have you ever pulled a great prank?

Um, not really. But I pulled a decent stunt on the way to my basketball tournament. The seniors were playing their horrible trap music, so I decided to put an end to it. When they were switching the bluetooth connection, I broke into the connection with my iPod and blasted TiK ToK. Everyone flipped out and claimed voodoo magic was happening since they didn't know it was me. Priceless.

Whew! That was fun! Onto the story now!

Oh, one more thing - if you have any more questions, just ask and I'll be sure to answer them!

* * *

**Max's POV**

"I'm feeling a lazy day. What about you?" Fang asked me as we ate breakfast.

I shrugged. "Can't think of anything better." Actually, we already began our lazy day. Both Fang and I slept in; the sun—which was already high in the sky—had dried up the dew before either of us were awake.

"I'll practice a little jogging, maybe," Fang said. "Nothing too rigorous, though."

"That's a good idea," I replied. "I don't know when you want to leave, but I guess whenever you're ready to run we'll go."

"I'd love to go today, but I'd be a hypocrite given how I wouldn't let you run with a banged-up leg."

"And don't worry, since you're _not _running with a concussion on my watch," I told him.

"That sounded like a feistier, less knowledgeable version of Ella," Fang said.

I shrugged. "A little, I guess. When's her birthday, by the way?"

"Sometime this month, I think. She's turning eighteen."

"Could it possibly be August 18?" I asked, curious. That would've been quite a coincidence.

"Maybe, I don't remember," Fang said. "Why, is there a reason why you think she has the same birthday as you?"

I shook my head. "I'm just curious."

Fang frowned. "You think she might be your twin, right?"

"Fine, yeah," I admitted. "I know it's a naïve hope, but since when did I give up?"

Fang didn't respond for a few seconds, lost in thought. "Max, as great as it would be if that were true, there are _plenty _of girls in the world that could be Ella's twin. I don't want you to get your hopes up only to be let down."

"The thing is, when did that not work for me? Isn't that how we got here in the first place?" I responded softly.

"I know, but the odds are _crazy _here. Literally one in more than a million. It's fine to leave the door open, but peeking your head in the door by hoping it's true will just lead to disappointment," Fang said.

"We can just agree to disagree then," I said.

Fang sighed. "I guess I can't stop you from wanting what you want." _Believe me, Fang…what I want is probably nothing like what you want. _

When we finished breakfast, Fang and I decided to walk into the city and spend the day slowly jogging around Lancaster's wide sidewalks. Since Fang wasn't far removed from his concussion, we took frequent water breaks and restroom breaks, but he was able to walk and jog down the streets without experiencing any issues. I kept a close eye on him, but Fang didn't show any signs of dizziness or exhaustion.

Fang also insisted on washing up. I found it odd, considering it hadn't been too long since our last shower, but I wasn't about to object. Even stranger—Fang bought a travel-size package of _shampoo_. I knew better than to question him, though. He probably had his reasons.

As we walked back to our sleeping spot and watched the sun go down, I felt the same pang of longing for Fang to take my hand I did on the beach a few days ago. I wanted to squish the feeling under the sole of my worn-down shoe, but it was too strong. The power of love was boundless. I never thought I'd be affected by it very much, but it flat-out took over me. I was blown away.

When Fang lay down, I lay down next to him. I fished around in my backpack for my diary and found it at the very bottom, wedged below three water bottles and a stack of clothes.

I wasn't in the mood for a long diary entry today. That wasn't what I needed though. In fact, six words was all I needed.

_Dear Fang,_

_Why don't you love me yet?_

_Love,_

_Max_

I stared at my writing for a minute before sliding my diary into my backpack. I felt so desperate. It wasn't like the desperation I felt at home, being abused and oppressed. If anything, this was worse, in a way—I solved the problem about my parents by running away. I couldn't do the same for this. It was _awful._

Would I ever have the courage to face Fang and tell him I love him?

If only Fang loved me back. I wouldn't need to tell him anything. He was so much more confident than I was when it came to romance, because he had some legit experience in the field. All I had were overactive hormones.

Fair deal, right? About as fair as my life right now, which was to say completely and utterly unfair to the point where I believed that the world would forever be out to unconditionally haunt me.

As I closed my eyes to sleep, I heard Fang say, "I love you, Max."

My eyes flew open instantly. I turned to look at Fang, but his face was buried in the grass. I sighed deeply, putting my face in my hands as I choked back a sob. _This _is how it felt to be hopelessly in love.

See what I meant about unfair? The guy of my dreams freaking told me he _loved _me, and it turned out it was all in my mind. I felt like punching a tree. Or climbing up one and jumping down just to feel the pain of falling.

You know what? That wasn't a bad idea. There was a tree with plenty of low branches near the road which looked perfect for climbing. I'd loved climbing trees in fifth grade. The rest of the kids called me names because they were jealous of how easily and quickly I could climb to the top.

It was a tad chilly, but I stood up and walked over. Not to jump out and break my leg, but just to remember what it felt like to be ten feet in the air being supported with nothing more than a fifty-year-old piece of wood. I did just that a few days after meeting Fang, but I picked a low branch to sleep on. This time, I wasn't stopping until the branches got so thin I could break them.

I jumped up and grabbed the lowest branch I could find, using it to pull myself up. I felt around for sturdy footholds, and sure enough there a crevice to my right. The lights from the road illuminated the area just enough for me to confidently climb despite .

I reached up for a branch the width of my upper leg to pull myself up, but didn't see a short twig sticking out. My wrist roughly scraped against it, sending a quick jolt of pain resonating throughout my upper arm, but I ignored it as I climbed higher, the breeze blowing the streak of blood down my skin. I wiped my arm on my shirt, determined to continue.

I stopped climbing where the branches were as wide as my arm. Pulling myself up, I perched myself up on the branch and leaned back on the trunk. I looked down, the ground about fifteen feet below me, and took a deep breath of the cool air. It smelled…fresher, and the wind was definitely stronger. My hair floated behind me, just like the mane of a horse did when it ran.

I pressed my hands against my cheeks, surprised to find them cold from the wind. They were practically radiating heat when I was lying down next to Fang.

Was this what it felt like to be a bird, perching on a high branch? I'd nearly forgotten the thrill of looking down on the world from above, with no windows or floors to squelch the liberating feeling that I got up here myself.

With the only noises up here besides the wind being the occasional chirp or car, I could hear my heart beating. It didn't sound particularly loud or fast; my surroundings just allowed me to hear it. A few final drops of blood fell from my arm before it stopped bleeding.

After the drop of adrenaline that was going through my bloodstream dissipated, I descended from the tree and walked back to our spot. Only after laying down did I realize how cold I was. I looked at Fang and decided, why not?

I scooted next to Fang, setting my head under his and body molded around his so that we were practically glued together. I fell asleep just like that, wishing his warmth was love instead.

* * *

Cue the 'aww...''s. Poor Max.

For some reason the last little Max and the tree scene was my favorite scene so far in this story. I don't know why. I'm not even a big tree-climber.

Question of the Chapter: Was Max actually imagining it or did Fang say it and hit the grass when he realized Max was awake?

I just want to give a quick shout-out to **bookgirl411, DntlessAnnabeth, BiteMeBro552,** and **iluviggyhesthebest **for the consistently extraordinary support they've given me throughout the story.

And thank you to everyone reading this, it means a lot to me that you're taking time out of your day to read (and comment on) the story I write after school at my desk in the corner of my family room. Besides the fact the I enjoy most aspects of crafting a story, it really makes me feel like I'm making good use of time. I'm not the fastest writer, so chapters often take a while to write. If for any reason anyone would like to know the details of the heartofglass99 method of story production, feel free to PM me and I'll gladly tell you how I do things! I kinda doubt anyone really cares, but I'll just say it because I can.

Oh and I randomly thought of something while reading a book...sometimes it feels like writing this story is like owning a coffee shop. It takes time to get going and spread the word around, but once things get going it's smooth sailing. Some people stick around from opening to closing, while some come and go. Good coffee (good chapter) = more customers (readers). Bad coffee = less customers.

Anyone know the book that made me think of that? "The Fortunes of Indigo Skye" by Deb Caletti.


	52. Chapter 42: Part 1

Random Quote of the Week: _"THROW IT AWAY, FORGET YESTERDAY, WE'LL MAKE THE GREAT ESCAPE!" -Boys like Girls, in "The Great Escape"_

I know I've done that one before. Anyone got a problem with it?

Aah, I love that song so much. I jammed so hard to that song on my guitar like every day this week.

COUNTDOWN TO 1000: 0! WE'RE THERE! THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE! YOU GUYS ROCK! I still haven't wrapped my mind around it...one-freaking-thousand comments...wowie. We've passed my initial goal (50) twenty and a half times over. Think about that. I hope you can comprehend it, because I can't for the life of me.

And 70 reviews over the past two chapters is crazy stuff...

Thanks to **skellington. png **for being reviewer #1000!

Much of the inspiration from this chapter came from "Two is Better Than One" by Boys Like Girls. Many thanks to them for creating such amazing songs. Unfortunately, as **bookgirl411 **pointed out, they've been a bit slow lately coming out with new music...

Oh, and some more questions came in! Once again, feel free to skip to the break.

**TheForsakenMist: **Is it hard writing the opposite gender for you? Oh, and how do you feel about being surrounded by fangirls, for the most part?

Not really, actually...as humans we all feel the same way when it comes to romance, right? At least something similar. Most of the books I read are narrated by girls, so writing Max's POV isn't hard. It's more challenging than Fang's POV, though, and that's why I write it so much. I actually like writing from a girl's POV better than a guy's POV even though I'm a straight guy perfectly comfortable with my sexuality.

Hmm...it's unpredictable, to say the least. I never know when I'm about to get a death threat or internet flying bear hug. I love it! Writing on here surrounded by fangirls feels like a mellowed-down, low-key version of being a famous published author.

**monettelassitter**: Dude, why must you mess with me? Is it fun? does it bring you some kind of joy to know that you torture me with your awesome writing skills? What's it like to be in love?

Messing with people is fun. You should try it. :P

Um...it's tough to describe in words. I'll try my best...well first off, you're always thinking about the person you're in love with. All day, and sometimes even in dreams. It's not voluntary at all, it just...happens. And when you look at them you feel like you want to hug and kiss them senseless. It's an urge that comes from the heart, the only way to really know is to feel it yourself. The nervousness comes from the possibility that they don't feel the same way. If you want to hear some experiences just ask!

And I'm not sure if this qualifies as 'in love'...I'm in high school so this just might be 'crazy, obsessive, over-the-top crush'.

**Marowren: **On a scale of 1-10 how much do you like soccer? Do you play soccer? If yes to #2, what position? What is your faaaaaavorite music genre? Would you rather be pyrokinetic or hydrokinetic? Do you have an accent? (this may or may not be a trick question)

1) Umm...6?

2) I play on my school team every fall.

3) Anything, really...I'm the backup goalie, and I've played about equally as striker, defense, and midfield. I guess that's what happens when I have speed and leg but no dribbling or control.

4) Probably pop? Demi Lovato, Avril Lavigne, and T-Swiz are my idols.

5) Can I be both? Haha, jk...I'd probably choose hydrokinesis because it's more useful. But pyro is flashier. I'd be really happy with either.

6) A trick question? Now you got me skeptical...but to answer your question I don't think I have an accent. Someone told me I had an Australian accent when I was younger but in all honesty I don't know where their brain was since nobody else has ever said that.

**Graceless0ne: **If you had to get rid of one member of the flock who would it be; Max, Iggy, Fang, Angel, Nudge, or Gazzy?

Probably Nudge. No offense to her! She's awesome, but I just like the rest better.

I'm still happy to answer any more questions! I love doing it!

Oh and I just bought 1989! Best $15 I've ever spent! It came with a bunch of little pictures of Taylor with song lyrics written on them and of course I had to thumbtack them all to my wall. My mom was like "what have you become..." when she woke me up the next day and saw them. Thankfully she doesn't really care or think negatively of Tay.

Dang, this is a long Author's Note...I hope you guys don't mind. If you do, feel free to tell me and I'll make an effort to shorten them up. If you like hearing random facts about my life, tell me and I'll keep doing this!

Anyways, onto the story! Enjoy!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

I opened my eyes, and was greeted by a sky full of stars. Was today the day I was supposed to confess to Max? I couldn't remember. I wasn't thinking straight.

I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

My eyes shot open again, just like some hours ago. The night sky lay before my eyes, without a trace of sunlight.

Oh goodness, this wasn't actually happening. Even though I was seventy percent asleep, I could feel the nervous energy coursing through my veins. I was sweating lightly despite the cool night.

I'd wait until morning to deal with this. I shut my eyes and rolled over, passing out immediately.

* * *

I regained consciousness and opened my eyes, _again, _and this time the a thin blue line at the edge of the horizon was rising to push the last few stars out of the sky.

What happened to the emotionless brick wall of the old days? Why did I not trust my ability to remain impassive anymore? I knew. Max would see it in my eyes.

Worst of all, what if the plan didn't work?

Failure was _not an option. _I had nothing to fear.

On that thought, I closed my eyes once more and let myself melt into the grass below me and Max beside me.

* * *

I woke with a start and groaned. I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep this time. The bright, ten o' clock sun shone down on Max and me, filtering through my eyelids. I looked up to the trees, allowing myself to be distracted by the high-pitched chirping of the birds above us. Short chirp. Long. Short. Short. It was a pattern, repeated over and over.

Max woke up a few minutes after I did, her tousled hair damp from the dew. For some reason, I only noticed it today, even though Max probably woke up with slightly wet hair every day just like me.

"We should invest in a blanket," she suggested, yawning. My first thought was that would be nice for snuggling. I chided myself for thinking that. I chided myself again for not having faith in myself.

"We could do that," I agreed. I knew money was an issue for us, but did that matter when it came to Max? N-o. I did the math last week, and we had almost two hundred bucks to spare.

I tossed Max her breakfast, and we ate sitting next to each other with Max's leg pressed against mine. Our backs rested against a thick tree, which made me think of Max and I fighting back-to-back against an army surrounding us. In my mind, we won of course. We didn't know how to lose fights, except to each other.

"Fang, have you ever thought about how much money most people would use, having the same amount of fun as us?" Max asked me, rolling a blade of grass between her fingers. Her hair, glowing in the sunlight, lay gently on the back of her tight yellow shirt. The sun illuminated half her face, the other half resting in the shadow of the tree.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Max looked at me and brushed a stray handful of strands of hair out of her face. "Remember the time we spent in Los Angeles? If I didn't screw up so much, it would've cost, like, a hundred bucks. A hotel there for two weeks, more substantial food, and more expensive entertainment would cost a couple thousand, at least."

I smiled at her words. "It's like we're little kids again. I remember, Iggy got so happy when he got a new toy even if it cost five bucks. Nowadays, teenagers are crazy for iPhones and stuff that cost _hundreds._"

Max laughed, plying the blade of grass apart. "That's not us, though."

"It's not," I agreed. "I love being us, though."

"It's great, isn't it? It's almost like we have the privileges of adults without having to work or support ourselves, for the most part," Max said.

"Best of both worlds."

Max raised her eyebrows, smiling at me with her lips slightly parted. My heart pounded in my chest just looking at her. "Hannah Montana fan?"

I stared at her, a mock horrified expression on my face. "Absolutely not."

That caused Max to laugh. "Seriously, how do you know about that song? It was so long ago."

I waved my hand. "Probably Nudge or Ella."

"It's always them," Max said, sighing. She turned towards me and ran her hand along the tree behind us, gazing across the clearing to the jungle gym-like formation of nature she climbed up yesterday.

"I saw you climb that tree," I blurted out, before I could talk myself out of it. It was the most upfront thing I'd said to Max—ever. I did whisper "I love you" to her yesterday, but I was fairly certain she didn't hear me. We were experts at skirting around the topic of romance with each other. And this, if Max interpreted it the way I thought she would, qualified.

Max looked at me calculatingly, the gears turning in her head. "I thought you were asleep," she said, and at that moment I knew for sure she heard me yesterday.

"I know," I said. "I didn't fall asleep until after you came back."

Max frowned. "That's weird. I heard you say something, but I thought I was imagining it." With that, I knew she was taking a leap of faith in me, too. Both of our hearts were riding on me right now. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

"Max, listen to me," I said softly, looking her firmly in the eyes. She gazed back at me, her mouth slightly open. I focused my mind on delivering the words clearly. "You weren't imagining it. I love you, Max," I managed, trying to sound confident but probably failing.

One second.

My fortress of confidence came crashing down, and it felt like my heart was being peppered by the shrapnel. But that wasn't a bad thing. I did what I had to do. My heart crawled up into my throat. I felt both tension and relief tugging at my stomach, neither emotion winning.

Two seconds.

Max still hadn't moved a muscle. Her expression remained neutral but open, reminding me of the way a tree's branches splayed out from the trunk. The adrenaline and nervousness was too strong in me to allow any sort of dread to set in. I either took the first step in a wonderful future or _strongly _jeopardized the best friendship I ever had. I'd taken risks before, but this time there really was _no _turning back.

I shifted slightly, my hands trembling. I felt a root dig into my leg, pinning my jeans to my skin.

Three seconds.

"I love you too, Fang," Max said softly, tilting her head up so our mouths were inches apart and the sunlight glinted off her rosy cheeks. Her trembling voice sounded so raw it sounded nearly impassive. But I knew better.

Max meant it.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers.

* * *

Cue the "ABOUT TIME, HUH?"'s. But more importantly, Fax has finally arrived! After a 51-chapter, 130K-word wait, it's here! I guess you could count this as my repayment to you guys for 1000 reviews. It was a complete coincidence it ended up being this chapter, btw.

Many thanks to **Tokoloshe Monster** for helping to make it more realistic and generally making it a legible chapter. This story since Chapter 30 - especially this chapter - would definitely not be the same without her.

Question of the Chapter: Am I forgiven yet from all the horrible trials I put the poor kids through leading up to this?


	53. Chapter 42: Part 2

Random Quote of the Week: _"We found wonderland, you and I got lost in it." -Taylor Swift, in "Wonderland"_

Another Random Quote of the Week: _"Baby we're the new romantics, come on come along with me, heartbreak's the national anthem, we sing it proudly." -Taylor Swift, in "New Romantics"_

I've been obsessed with 1989 recently. My favorites are Wildest Dreams, Wonderland, Style, and New Romantics.

Another question!

**Bookwriter16: **what r ur fav books?

My favorite series of all time is Percy Freaking Jackson and the Olympians. It's what got me into reading. I owe a LOT to Rick Riordan. Without him, this story would probably not exist right now. He's practically my idol. Besides PJO, I'm also a fan of MR, Heroes of Olympus, and Lorien Legacies. And my favorite standalone book is Hold Still by Nina LaCour. It's THE BEST THING EVER! It was a major inspiration for the middle parts of ANB, even though the plot and characters are wayyyy different.

Sorry about the short A/N this week, from what I gather you guys like my long blabs and rants better. I don't really have much to say this week. Except that AP finals week is coming up in a month, and I've barely started one of my courses. Time to see if I can procrastinate or not...

And as always questions will be answered in next chapter's A/N!

* * *

**Max's POV**

When Fang kissed me, I forgot about everything else in the world. I forgot about the root that had been digging into my side for the past fifteen minutes. I forgot about the drop of water from my hair that was still slowly dripping down my back. I forgot my own name.

The feeling of pure _joy _that rushed through me when Fang looked me in the eye and told me he loved me grew into something else as our lips moved in sync, every movement coming naturally to me. _Desire. _That was it. I wanted as much of Fang as I could possibly get.

Fang's lips felt just like they did when I kissed him at the baseball game, but everything about it was magnified right now. Fang's soft but firm lips felt like a key to my soul, in a way. They activated a deep longing within me that lay untouched before today, except at the baseball game. But there was no confusion or indecision in our hearts now. We both knew exactly how we felt.

Fang wrapped his arms around my waist, and I found my hands tangled in his hair. I took in Fang's scent—mainly the shampoo he bought yesterday (oh, this was why he bought it…), but I also smelled grass on him. And trees. Surprise, surprise?

My heart swelled larger and larger in approval as our kiss deepened. I felt so strong and so powerless at the same time. Nothing could possibly hurt me, but I couldn't defend myself either. As the blissfully long seconds ticked by, those thoughts fell to the back of my mind.

I also felt thrilled that Fang was enjoying it as much as I was, or at least looked he like he was. He let out a sigh of contentment that was probably involuntary when my hands wrapped around the back of his neck and pulled his head even closer to mine.

How could I have lived for _seventeen years _without this and survived?

When Fang pulled away from me, I realized how tiring kissing was. It couldn't have been more than five minutes—albeit, it felt like hours—but I was exhausted. I leaned back into Fang's embrace, fully at ease there for the first time. The unresolved tension between us over the past week evaporated instantly in a matter of eight words.

I realized what Fang was talking to Angel about: me. I was sure of it. That was why he wanted me out.

How long had he loved me? I honestly had no idea, since it caught me by complete and utter shock that he loved me at all. It was _so _hard to believe I'd only been in love with him for five days, though. As hard as I tried, I couldn't see Fang as my best friend. Maybe my partner-in-crime, but the emphasis was on _partner _there.

I traced my finger along Fang's arm wrapping around my waist, feeling every vein of the boy who stole my heart. It felt so weird to be hopelessly caught in what I thought was unrequited love yesterday, and it was even more extraordinary having those feelings returned. In a good way, of course.

"How long have you known?" Fang asked me.

It took me a few seconds to snap back to attention, but I managed to blurt, "What?" That's what kissing Fang did to me. My mind was still clouded, even though it had been at least ten minutes since the kiss.

"How long have you known you loved me?" he clarified.

"Oh. Um, five days I think. Since the first time we went to the beach."

Fang raised his eyebrows. "No way. I'm glad I waited to tell you, then."

"Wait, so you've _loved _me like that for a long time?" I asked, not believing it. I couldn't see any signs of him liking me…at all.

Fang laughed. "Nah, not long," he said, adjusting his arms around my waist and kissing my forehead. "Ever since you kissed me at the game."

I turned my head around. "Seriously? That meant something to you?"

Fang smiled guiltily, although he looked just as entranced as I felt. "What if it did? Does it matter now?"

I laughed, resting my head against his warm chest. I could hear his heart beat like a series of earthquakes, rocking my world. "Guess not."

Fang leaned down and kissed me again, sliding a few strands of hair behind my ear. It wasn't the same passionate kiss we had earlier, but it was more like a kiss of comfort. That this crazy thing called love that had just taken over us would turn out alright.

It felt strange that a week ago I spent the morning talking to myself, talking myself _out of _viewing Fang as anything but a friend. It was crazy how much changed within just one week.

"As much as I'd love to spend the rest of the day lying here," Fang said after a minute, breaking the comfortable silence between us, "we need food."

I groaned. "Fine."

"Did I mention that we can grab a blanket while we're in town?"

I immediately stood up. "Hurry up, slowpoke," I demanded. But I couldn't stop myself from leaning over, standing on my tiptoes, and kissing Fang on the lips before we took to the city. This time, when Fang held my hand on the walk, I didn't mind. Even though only our intertwined fingers and palms were touching, I felt like I was in Fang's embrace all over again.

When we got to the department store, Fang and I wandered through the aisles in search of a blanket. "How about we just look at the map?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "That's too easy."

Fang sighed. "Max, we've been walking around for thirty minutes. We've probably passed the right aisle twenty times without realizing it."

I shrugged. "I'll look more carefully, then."

I lived up to my promise…but it took us an hour just to find the picnic blanket section. Thankfully, it took us less than a minute to grab a decently-sized one and get out of there before I could drive Fang any crazier.

After we picked up a few days' worth of food from the grocery store, Fang and I left Lancaster. We spread our new green-and-red blanket out beneath the climbing tree by the road and sat down next to each other, leaning against the tree.

It had been hours, but I was still having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that _Fang loved me. _Drinking in the fact that he was right here, next to me, I turned and kissed him.

Fang responded quickly, wrapping his arms around my back and holding me close to him. It started as an innocent kiss, but after a minute Fang's hands snuck under the back of my shirt, lifting it slightly. The cool breeze pricked my stomach, but I ignored the discomfort and lost myself in the kiss. When Fang's hands came in contact with my bare skin, it felt like a wave of longing and passion was flowing from him to me.

After a few minutes, I broke our kiss to catch my breath. Breathing through my nose only grew difficult after a while, especially when my nose was pressed up against Fang's the whole time. I was hungry, and I assumed Fang was too, but it took me fifteen minutes to get up the willpower to scoot five feet over to my backpack since I was so comfortable in Fang's arms.

We ate dinner and went for a brief moonlit walk along the road before setting down on the blanket to sleep. Thankfully, it was big enough to wrap around both of us like a cocoon. Fang did just that, making sure not to roll us onto any tree roots.

"I love you," he told me, once we were situated. This time, I knew I wasn't imagining.

"I love you too," I responded. I closed my eyes, completely at ease for the first time.

* * *

I should've had Max have a heart attack just as Fang was about to kiss her the first time...you guys are lucky I'm feeling merciful. :P

Question of the Chapter: What kind of person do you get the impression I am through my writing/AN's/profile? I'm really curious to know...I won't be offended if you say I sound like a complete idiot or anything like that.

Oh and what do you think of another story containing deleted scenes from Angel's POV, Fang's POV, and Max's POV (and maybe the other Flock people's POVs) of the actual abuse they endured before Fang and Max ran away? It'll also include Angel's POV after Fang ran away, and will spot up some plot holes. It'll be more angsty, but it'll be in the ANB universe of course and should be T rated. I personally like the idea a lot - whaddaya think?


	54. Chapter 43

Random Quote of the Week: _"And you're singing the songs thinking this is the life, and you wake up in the morning and your head feels twice the size, where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna sleep tonight?" -Amy Macdonald, in "This Is The Life"_

Max and Fang ANB theme song right there. Boom.

And I hope you guys liked the April Fools' joke chapter! Random fact: it got 24 comments within its first 12 hours...I'm pretty sure that's more than every single normal chapter in its first 12 hours! I've also deleted that chapter since, so anyone new reading it doesn't flip out even more.

Looking back on it, I have a better idea for a prank: I should've written a fake chapter where Fang gets shot by a stray gunshot right before he kisses Max, and Max breaks down sobbing and pretty much curls up and dies inside. The chapter ends with Max running up to the shooters, beating them up, grabbing their guns, and committing suicide. Then, I'd write that it was an April Fools joke and it happened in a dream. If anyone wants to use this prank idea, feel free to borrow it - I won't ask you to credit me. Just tell me so I can see your readers' reactions!

But oh well, I'm happy with the way things turned out. I was worried that nobody would read it or comment and the joke would go to waste, but you guys made sure that wouldn't happen. I was touched by how many people wanted to kill me. This and Chapter 29 have received the largest volley of death threats! Several people threatened to kill me, and someone even told me to slap myself in the face. *slap* Happy?

And Spring Break just started for me! Anyone else have it this week, or have you all had it three eons ago when some of my friends had theirs?

* * *

**Max's POV**

I was in no rush to wake up, since being pressed up against Fang was no position to run from. Fang had the beginnings of a moustache forming above his lip, the first facial hair I'd seen on him. I guess he just didn't have the genes.

Plus, Fang looked cuter without it. He looked more…innocent, I guess. Maybe just because I had a hard time picturing him with a beard.

I scooched up to give Fang a peck on the lips, but since I was still groggy I ended up banging my forehead on his. Unfortunately, the impact was hard enough to jolt him awake.

"Max?" Fang muttered, his eyes fluttering open a crack before closing again.

I giggled silently, the vibrations in my chest shaking off my sleepiness. "Nothing. Go back to sleep." Fang did just that and rolled over, pulling the blanket with him. The damp side of the blanket shifted so it was pressed against my back, moisture slowly seeping into my shirt.

I gently wrapped my arms around Fang's waist, my hands locked just above the ring of belt loops on his jeans. I pressed my face against Fang's chest, taking in his scent. He smelled mostly like-well-me, which was to say dirt, grass, dew, and everything else nature-related. Some of the girls at my school didn't like nature for some reason. They thought it was 'unsanitary' and 'disgusting'. I couldn't have disagreed more. Fang and I spent time indoors in cities, but nature was our home for now. I'd take trees and dirt over pollution and exhaust any day.

Fang woke up shortly, wriggling out of the cocoon blanket. Surprisingly, I didn't get us tangled. "Do you have any water?" Fang asked, his voice cracking slightly. He zipped his backpack shut; I guess all his bottles were empty.

I rifled through my backpack and found three water bottles, but there were little more than a few drops in each. "Nope."

Fang nodded and set his head on his arms, which were perched on top of his up-tucked legs. "Refill," he muttered, raising his head slightly.

"Whenever you're ready," I told him, kneeling beside him and rolling several strands of his hair between my fingers. I sighed. I had a habit of doing this, whether it was with grass, Fang's hair, or even nothing.

We left ten minutes later, once Fang wasn't so tired. We got some curious glances as we walked down the street, hand-in-hand, from passersby—probably wondering what a guy like Fang was doing with a girl like me—but I didn't care. I was the luckiest girl in the world right now. I didn't let go of Fang's soft but firm hand until we arrived at a Burger King.

After we refilled our bottles and Fang took a long gulp, we sat down at a table to eat breakfast. "I have a surprise planned," Fang announced, once we replaced our bottles in our backpack. "I'll head out, be back in an hour. Promise me you'll wait here."

I glared at him. "I hate planned surprises."

"What about yesterday's surprise?" Fang asked me, raising his eyebrows. As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll wait," I said, leaning up to give him a peck on the lips before he went off.

Even though it wasn't nighttime yet, I felt the need to write a diary entry. I skipped out on yesterday's, since my mind was in a state of Cloud Nine-level shock, so I'd make up for it today by writing two.

_Dear Diary,_

_I take back last entry._

_Really._

_I won't make Fang answer, since he already did. Twice, actually. I was just too pessimistic to realize it the first time._

_I still can't believe it. He told me he loved me and I wrote it off as my imagination and ran off. What's even more unbelievable is that Fang loved me back. I didn't know for how long, but all that matters is now and the future, right?_

_I wonder what Fang thought when he saw me climb the tree. Maybe he thought I didn't love him back or something? That boy's got guts if he could tell me how he felt the day right after that. Damn, I can't believe I never realized any of this while it was happening. Actually, I can. How was I supposed to pick up on any of this stuff? It's not like I got an A in Romance 101._

_Anyways, Fang said he had a surprise for me. I don't know whether to be excited or worried with Fang…well, I think it'll be entertaining at worst unless he says he was just kidding about yesterday or something. But he wasn't. The innocent look on his eyes when he kissed me meaning nothing except, "I love you and I want you right now," was exactly how I felt inside. If Fang was kidding, my life is a lie._

_I'll try to enjoy this perfect world for a little longer before I head back to the world known as reality. Thank goodness, at least reality contains Fang._

_Love,_

_Max_

So I wouldn't go insane wondering what the surprise was, I washed up and got changed while I waited for Fang. I found the bottle of shampoo in my backpack. It took _forever _to wash it out of my hair with the sink, but my hair came out clean and smelled pretty good to me. I wondered how Fang was going to react. Gosh, I hope I wasn't going to become one of those girls fussing over everything to please their boyfriend.

Fang returned within an hour and a half, meeting me at the entrance of the Burger King. He looked the same as when he left, not giving away what the surprise was. It killed me not knowing, and Fang knew it.

"I'll show you tonight," he promised, grinning. A thought crossed my mind; did he get condoms? I wasn't sure how I felt about that possibility…I didn't really have anything _against _it, per se, but I just wasn't ready. I was _seventeen._

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure you will. In the meantime, do you have a plan for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Nope. By the way, did Iggy say anything to you about us…not knowing we were in love a month ago?" Fang asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah, you?"

"Yup. Do you think he's a fortune teller in disguise or something?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

* * *

"So, what's the surprise?" I asked as we sat down on our picnic blanket back at the oak trees near our sleeping spot. I had to admit—I liked the blanket a lot. It was thin, but it helped cushion the discomfort of roots and small rocks pretty well. The sun was just starting to set, tinting the horizon a light shade of orange.

"You're about to see it," he said, opening his backpack. Fang produced a chocolate cupcake in a plastic container and something else he held in his palm.

I raised my eyebrows. "A cupcake? That's the surprise?" I was a bit relieved—it wasn't condoms—but confused as well. Fang wasn't the kind of person who'd get me worked up for something like a cupcake.

Fang shook his head. "Close your eyes and don't move," he said, setting the cupcake container on the blanket.

I did as he instructed, and heard Fang open the container. I heard a scraping noise and nearly opened my eyes, but abstained.

Finally, about thirty agonizingly long seconds later, Fang told me, "You can look now."

I opened my eyes to see Fang holding the cupcake with a lit candle stuck into the brown icing. I still didn't get it...

"Happy birthday, Max," Fang said, smiling warmly. His black hair glinted in the candlelight.

I stared at him. "What?"

If Fang was surprised, he hid it well. "It's August 18th today. Surely you haven't forgotten your own birthday."

My head spun. Was it really August 18th already? Now that I thought about it, it probably was. The baseball game was on the eighth, and that was ten days ago. How could I forget? I'd been looking forwards to this day as a kid for so long. I wasn't an illegal runaway any longer.

I wanted to hug Fang tightly and never let go, but with the candle between us I settled for a quick kiss. I pulled away quickly so I wouldn't get carried away, and thankfully Fang had the same idea in mind.

"I know this is an understatement," I said, after we broke our kiss, "but thanks, Fang."

Fang laughed. "Don't mention it. So are you going to blow it out anytime soon?"

"I was getting there," I said, eyeing the candle. I closed my eyes, taking a breath, and gently blew the candle out.

"Did you make a wish?" Fang asked me, as I opened my eyes to see the last ribbons of smoke from the candle cascade up into the sky.

I shook my head. "Was I supposed to?"

Fang shrugged. "It's a tradition for birthdays. It's not too late. Close your eyes and make your wish."

I didn't hesitate to comply. I thought about it for a moment before making my wish.

_I wish this would last forever._

* * *

"How are we going to cut it?" I asked Fang, gesturing to the cupcake.

"I'll do it," he decided, gripping the paper on one side like a coffee cup and using the tips of his fingers to break the cupcake apart. He handed me one half, keeping the other.

We ate in silence. I savored every bit of the rich chocolate cupcake, since I didn't know how long it would be until we ate something sweet again.

When we finished our dessert and rinsed our mouths, Fang stood up. "Walk with me?"

I shrugged. "Sure," I said, standing up and taking his hand in mine. We walked along the starlit grassy path running alongside the road, taking in the stillness of the night. There was no wind, save for the occasional light breeze. There were no people or cars in sight to disrupt us. All I knew at the moment was Fang, the world, and me.

A short walk and a few light kisses later, we ended up sitting side-by-side on the blanket with my head resting on Fang's shoulder. He leaned his head towards me slightly as well, so it felt like we were two pieces of a puzzle. Two pieces that were finally put together correctly.

"Good night, Max," Fang said, as we lay down.

"Good night, Fang. I love you."

"I love you too," he said, giving me a quick kiss before leaning back and closing his eyes.

I took out my diary—which I wasn't so paranoid about Fang seeing anymore—and wrote.

_Dear Diary,_

_Have I mentioned that Fang is the sweetest guy in the universe? It might just be the caffeine or hormones talking but I can't believe he remembered my birthday. I mean, when did dates matter to us? We just had to get back to Phoenix in a month or something. Exact dates meant nothing to me, pretty much._

_The surprise was a birthday cake, Diary. A birthday cake for two people. You could call it a cupcake._

_Fang has the best surprises ever. First telling me he loved me and now this? Maybe I shouldn't hate surprises so much._

_Anyways, I'm starting to feel the crash from the sugar. Catch ya later._

_Love,_

_Max_

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Did you guess the surprise right?

Note - there will be no lemons whatsoever in this story so never fear. I have no idea how to write one, and have no desire to learn. It's a T-rated story and will stay that way. I'm not saying there will be no sex - I haven't decided that yet - but I promise the scenes will be skipped. There will be kissing of course and maybe going slightly farther, but nothing that's worse than a typical T. If you don't like reading it, feel free to skip the sections.

**Another note - Since the April Fools' joke chapter was deleted, this is the new C54. Note that if you reviewed that "chapter", it won't let you review this chapter. If you've already reviewed on the joke chapter and would like to review on this chapter as well, probably the best thing to do is to go back to a previous chapter and post your review there (I'll know that it's for C43, don't worry!). The latter takes just about 10 more seconds than a normal comment (unless you're** BiteMeBro552 **and have reviewed every single chapter**),** but I'll be understanding if you choose not to review this chapter. However, I'd love to know your thoughts since this was one of my favorite chapters!**

Wow, it's been a while since I've bolded something that long. Peace out everyone, and have a great day!


	55. Chapter 44

IMPORTANT NOTE - Since last chapter (posted on the Saturday after the joke) did not send out an alert, most of you have not read it yet. Before reading this chapter, **please go back and read last chapter** \- Chapter 43 - before reading this one. If you saw the April Fools' joke, you won't be able to review last chapter; **I'd recommend not reviewing last chapter, unless you really would like to. If you have any comments for last chapter, though, I'd love to know - so the best way is probably to just combine last chapter's comment with this chapter's and post it here. **This chapter is brand new and reviewable though, so the system shouldn't give anyone any trouble. Ignore what I wrote in the end-of-chapter A/N for last chapter, I just thought it'd give a new alert.

Without further ado, here I present to you Chapter the 44th!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"How's the concussion doing?" Max asked me, as we strolled into Lancaster.

"Pretty well. I can probably run, if you want to leave the city." We'd been here for five days, a lot by our standards. I was in the mood for a change of scenery, but I didn't want to risk getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with a concussion.

Max shook her head. "Don't push it. I want to get out of here," she admitted, "but if you're not a hundred percent sure we can wait it out here."

"What about taking a bus?" I suggested. "We can go farther that way, and unless I have another standing-up nap, we'll be safe."

"But smoking's not allowed on buses," Max protested, pouting. A small part of me melted, even though she wasn't serious. "And I was planning to take advantage of the rights I gained yesterday."

"What if I told you that Iggy had a 'brilliant idea' involving them a few years ago and ran into some hard luck with the cashiers? Do you have any other reasons you're against a bus?" I asked her.

"Not particularly, unless money's going to be an issue," Max said, adjusting her backpack. She gripped my hand a little tighter as she winced, the backpack probably pinching a nerve.

"It won't be." I pulled out the map, and two cities caught my eye: San Bernardino and Palm Springs. The former was seventy-five miles away, and the latter a hundred twenty-five miles.

We found a hotel with a nice lobby we could use when we made it into the city, and I powered on my laptop to look at some buses. There weren't any trips from here to San Bernardino until tomorrow, but there was a one-way bus that left Lancaster this afternoon and arrived in Palm Springs at night. I wasn't keen on the idea of dropping another fifty bucks on a second bus, especially considering last time's disaster, but this one covered so much distance it seemed worth it. The money wouldn't be a _huge _issue, since if push came to shove we could take a non-stop bus all the way back to Phoenix with more than two hundred bucks to spare. Even if worst came to worst, Iggy could help us. I didn't want to waste any more of his time, but it was nice knowing Max and I had a backup plan considering how little security we had as runaways.

"How does a bus to Palm Springs sound?" I asked Max, showing her the computer screen alongside a map of California.

After briefly glancing at the screen, Max shrugged. "Why not?" she replied nonchalantly.

"Okay, it leaves at three. In the meantime, is there anything you want to do in Lancaster before we leave?" I asked Max, shutting down my laptop.

"How about one last walk in the city?" she suggested. "We didn't get enough of it as, you know, a _thing._"

I smiled. "Sure. We'll have a few good hours, if we want to be back at the stop a little early."

We refilled our water bottles before exploring the city one last time. The sun was shining brightly overhead, but thankfully a strong but steady wind started up, ruffling my hair to help keep me cool. Max's hair—turned golden by the sun—flew behind her for much of the walk. For some reason, seeing that reminded me that we had to keep moving. Not just physically, but in life as well. Max and I couldn't stay hopelessly starry-eyed-in-love forever. But I wasn't worried about anything. This crazy thing called life wouldn't stop us from loving each other.

"What time is it?" Max asked me, as we stopped for a drink.

I glanced at my watch. "Max, we gotta run!"

"What's the time?" Max asked me, standing up.

"Two thirteen!" I cried.

Max cursed under her breath. "Shoot, how'd we forget?"

"I don't know, but let's run!" It wasn't like me to flip out, but we had forty-five minutes to cover the same distance that took us two hours. Granted, we were walking for the two hours, but moving quickly wasn't easy with so many people around us.

The next forty-five minutes passed by like a blur. I remembered quickly shoving tourists aside and pulling Max through the crowd. Only when Max and I sat down on the bus did I realize how much energy I used during our mad dash. My head ached slightly from all the noise—after all, I was just five days removed from the concussion.

"Why'd we rush, again?" Max asked me, as we set our backpacks in the compartments above our seats.

I looked at her. "I don't know," I told Max, with a sigh.

* * *

"Anything interesting?" Max asked me, her head resting on my shoulder. We were reclining as far back as the blue velvet seats would let us.

I turned the laptop towards her, although the window seat glare probably prevented her from seeing much. "There's a cool park. Apparently there are tons of pickup volleyball games if you want to do that."

Max shrugged. "Both of them sound fun. Are they free?"

"Five-dollar admission fee. Money's no problem, though," I said. When I thought about it, my frugality had gone down the drain a bit recently. We didn't need the money…because we could get back to Phoenix. I wouldn't be thinking that way unless returning home was inevitable. It only caught up to me now how close we were to having to retreat to Phoenix. Even if school was out the window, the three-hundred-something dollars we had left wouldn't last forever. We could let it last for three months, but in my gut I knew our days as runaways were numbered—with a much lower number than three months.

For some reason, though, I wasn't disappointed. I'd miss the freedom, of course, but the time for Max and me to move on was coming fast. We'd have to savor the last few days we'd have alone together.

Of course, moving on wouldn't mean moving on from _each other. _I didn't want to get ahead of myself, but I couldn't help imagining the future that Max and I could shape together. If my luck was good enough, maybe one day we'd get married. Even though neither of us would have high school degrees, we'd get by. We had each other, and that was what mattered.

"Let's do it, then," Max said.

I put my laptop away. I looked at Max, and in that moment I knew exactly what we both wanted right there. I leaned towards Max, her eyes closing as I pressed my lips to hers. Even though I didn't want to get carried away—we were in a public bus—I couldn't stop myself from running my hands through her newly washed hair as she kissed me back, her soft lips working against mine. Our mouths fit perfectly together—I knew Max was the girl whose lips I was meant to kiss.

"Mommy, they're kissing!" a girl's voice squealed behind me. Max and I quickly flew apart, completely flustered, as the girl's brother spoke up.

"Eeew!" he cried.

Max and I looked each other, laughing embarrassedly. _Kids, _Max mouthed. It struck me as a bit ironic since in reality we were just as clueless and naïve in life as those kids. We were just under the impression that we knew what we were doing.

The kids' mother eyed us warily. "Since when did teens start sliding down the learning curve of social standards? We can do without the affection."

"Sorry, ma'am," I said.

"You better be," she replied, before losing interest in us completely and turning back to the newspaper in her hand.

"That probably wasn't smart," Max admitted.

"Definitely not," I agreed. "But I'm glad we did it." I wrapped an arm around Max's waist, her skinny but strong figure relaxing as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What's your favorite animal, and why?

Yesterday, I asked my sister, "Hmm, what should I ask my readers this chapter?" She responded with that.


	56. Chapter 45

Random Quote of the Week: _"I have nothing left, and all I feel is this cruel waaanting, we've been falling for all this time, and now I'm lost in paradise," -Evanescence, in "Lost In Paradise"_

Love that song! I highly recommend it if you like My Immortal. If you haven't heard my Immortal, LISTEN TO IT! It's one of my favorite songs of all time!

We're at 1111 reviews! Awesome-sauced covered bacon for all, and awesome-sauce covered tofu if you're a vegetarian like me.

Special thanks to **Birdwatched **for her sweet review!

* * *

**Max's POV**

I woke with a start, raindrops peppering my face. I shook Fang—who was still obliviously lying face-down on the blanket—and picked up my backpack.

Fang groaned, rolling over. "Tired," he mumbled.

"I'm tired too," I told him. "It's raining though. We gotta go."

Fang sat up slowly, the wet spots in our blanket multiplying as the rain picked up. We were less than half a mile from the city—we had been too lazy to look farther last night, since it was nearly midnight when we arrived in Palm Springs.

After plenty of prompting—read: harassing—on my part, Fang followed me out of the valley we settled down in and we ran to the city as the rain picked up.

We flew into the first building open to the public, which happened to be a grocery store. Just before the door slid shut behind us, a clap of thunder echoed through the parking lot, causing people to jump.

"Guess we're stuck here," Fang said, giving my hand a squeeze. Since both of our hands were wet, Fang darn near squeezed my hand out of his.

I sighed. "Guess so. What are we supposed to do in a grocery store?" I asked. "We don't even know when the storm's going to end." I hadn't been keeping track, but it felt like we had seen an unfairly high amount of rain lately considering that it was the middle of summer. Maybe it was just that last time didn't go too well, with Fang's concussion and all.

Fang shrugged. "I'll think of something. In the meantime, why don't we get food?"

We still had three cans each in our backpack, but I agreed to save us from temporary boredom. Even though Fang and I took our time getting another two days' worth of food, the storm was still going strong outside. A torrent of rain was crashing down on the asphalt, clapping loudly as it splattered. Customers were scrambling to their cars an inch deep in water, trying to avoid getting too soaked. Two cute little boys were splashing around in a puddle in the middle of the road, temporarily holding up traffic until their mother hurriedly pulled them to their car.

"Looks like it won't let up anytime soon," Fang observed. "What do you say about a little shopping spree?" he asked me.

"Shopping spree, Fang? What are we, Nudge and Ella?"

"For today," Fang said, taking off his backpack and fishing out a wad of bills. "Here's five bucks," he said, handing me a few. "Get whatever you like. I'll take five too. Meet by the entrance in half an hour. Whoever's food is better wins…uh, bragging rights."

"I'm down," I told him. "One question: who's judging the food?"

"The Flock," Fang answered. "We'll send an email together and Ella will get back to me tomorrow."

I laughed. "Okay, let's go," I told him, giving him a quickpeck on the lips—we were in public—before navigating around a clump of shopping carts to get to the sweets and frozen food section. I strolled through the aisle, running my eyes over the shelves.

Cake mix? Hell to the no. We didn't have the ingredients, it was too expensive, and we didn't have a stove. Even if we did, I had no idea if I could cook—whenever I desperately needed food, I used the very low amount of money I had to buy canned food at the grocery store.

Icing? Nope. Sure, it was sweet, but I wasn't sure how it would taste without cake to go with it.

Ice cream? Nah. It would melt too early.

Finally, after walking down the aisle a good ten times, my eyes settled on a chocolate chip cookie cake about six inches in diameter. As soon as I saw it, my eyes lit up. I'd always wanted to try a chocolate chip cookie, but never had a way to get my hands on one.

It cost four dollars, giving me one dollar to play with. Suddenly, I thought of a brilliant idea.

"How much does it cost to get something written on this?" I asked the cashier at the bakery, holding up the cookie cake.

"It's free with a purchase," she told me, putting on gloves. "What would you like me to write?"

I grinned, handing over the cookie cake as I told her what I wanted to be written. There was no _way _Fang could come up with something this awesome, even if he was the brains of our runaway operation. I was the creativity, even if most of the time I was dreaming up creative new ways to screw up simple tasks.

"It'll be five minutes," she said, disappearing into the back room.

To pass the time, I walked around the aisles, looking at different desserts. It just occurred to me that today was the first time I had ever been in a grocery store to buy something other than canned food. Even though the thought was depressing, the sheer amount of unhealthy food around me more than made up for it. I checked the backs of a few random labels, and everything had at _least _as much sugar _per serving _as I did per week.

After five minutes had passed, I picked up my bagged cookie cake, paid, and walked back to the entrance where Fang, holding a small, brown, opaque box was waiting for me.

"What'd you get?" Fang asked me.

"You first."

"I asked first."

I cleared my throat, as if I was about to give a lecture. "I'm a girl. You're a guy. You can't tell me what to do," I told him, giving him my best sexy-but-innocent look but probably failing.

At any rate, Fang sighed, eliciting an internal chuckle from me. His will was weaker than a teddy bear around me. "Fine," he said, opening the box.

Even before I peered inside, I could smell the strips of bacon in the box. "How'd you get it cooked?" I asked.

"It's still breakfast hours. I got it from the breakfast buffet," he told me. "Now, what did you get?"

I opened my bag and took out the cookie cake. "How ya love me now?"

Fang stared at me. "_Cookies are sweet but victory is sweeter?_ How'd you get that written on there?" he asked.

"It was free. The lady in the back did it."

Fang nodded. "Fair enough. It doesn't beat bacon though."

I raised my eyebrows. "Excuse me, sir? A chocolate chip cookie cake is ten times better than bacon. Not to mention the writing on it."

"As much as I hate to admit it, that was pretty clever," Fang said. "Let's see what the Flock says, shall we?"

We left the grocery store, careful to avoid puddles. The rainstorm was over—thankfully—so we didn't get drenched on our way to the nearest café. Since I still royally sucked at typing, Fang wrote the message.

* * *

Dear Ella,

Max is looking over my shoulder, so I'll cut to the point. We were bored this morning and had a contest to see who could make the most of five dollars at the grocery store. Max got some cookie cake that says "Cookies are sweet but victory is sweeter" on it. Pretty lame if you ask me. Ow. Max just slapped me. I got a box of bacon that smells amazing. I personally think it's much cooler and tastier than a fat cookie.

If you're wondering why I'm telling you, we need help. We can't agree on whose food is better. If you wouldn't mind, would you ask everyone in the flock to vote for one or the other?

Thanks,

Fang

* * *

"What's with the bias?" I asked Fang. "So not fair."

Fang shrugged nonchalantly. "A guy's gotta do what he's gotta do to win."

"So much winning you'll be doing," I scoffed. "When have you ever beaten me in anything?"

"Ever heard of skimboarding?"

I stuck my tongue out. "That shouldn't count. Plus, I put on a better show for everyone else. There are a million other people who do it just like you. Nobody can rock it like me."

Fang stared at me. "You know, that sounds creepily like something that Miley Cyrus would say."

"Shut _up. _You know what? I'll stop trash talking until after I win," I declared.

Fang sighed deeply. "Okay. On another note, I'll check the weather so we don't get stuck in a grocery store again," he said, turning back to his laptop. A minute later, he looked back at me, his mouth open slightly. "Max, this was the first rain in this city for months. They never get any precipitation here."

"Are you kidding me?" I complained. "It's like we're rain magnets or something."

"On the bright side, there's no rain in the forecast for another few weeks," Fang added, scrolling down.

"No duh," I told him. "A year's worth of rain probably fell today."

A few more clicks later, Fang laughed. "Two years, actually."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I'm getting sick of this weather talk. Let's get out of here," I told him, standing up.

"First things first," Fang said. "Let's eat this bacon."

* * *

We walked around Palm Springs, taking in the sights for the first time. Even though everything was soaking wet and the streets were practically empty, the city reminded me of Lancaster. Palm trees were abundant on the sidewalks and the well-lit buildings along the street were packed tightly together.

When we put down on a wet metal bench on the side of the road, Fang set his backpack down and stared into my eyes. I knew exactly what was coming the moment before Fang leaned forwards and pressed his lips to mine. It was like his lips were electric—I felt a jolt of energy rush through my body quickly before passion took over and I kissed Fang back.

I tried to exercise restraint since we were next to the street, for goodness sake, and we got called out yesterday for making out, but Fang made it really hard. It took a few minutes, but I finally managed to disentangle my mouth from Fang's.

"Why?" Fang complained quietly, releasing me slightly so he could look at me properly.

I laughed softly, resting my head on Fang's chest. "Why can't we just wait until we get out of town? You pick the worst places to kiss me."

"How's this a bad place?" Fang asked.

"It's in public, Fang," I told him. "There are _people._"

"Since when did we care about that?" Fang objected.

I thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Since never," I said, leaning up to kiss him again.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What food describes your personality best? (Another question from my sister!)

Shout out to hermionehp135, courtesy of my sister!

Please don't forget to review! My sister was really happy with the replies from last chapter; if for no other reason please answer the question for her!


	57. Chapter 46

Random Quote of the Week: _"It's much too quiet in HEEEEEEERE! I wanna disapeeeeear, I'm hearing myself thinking too clear," -Demi Lovato, in "Quiet"_

To **FAXalltheway**: I'd love to post longer chapters, but I have a lot less time to write now with finals coming up in two weeks. Since I still like to do my weekly updates, that unfortunately means either shorter or unedited chapters, and I think an edited 1600 word chapter is better than a sloppy 2200 word chapter full of _even more _meaningless events than there are already.

Random story: My Spanish teacher always likes someone in the class to go up to the board and write the day, time, weather, mood, and stuff like that in Spanish on the board at the beginning of the class. He always asks for a random sentence of our choosing as well, so when it was my turn, I wrote the lyrics to the chorus of "Wonderland" by Taylor Swift in Spanish. It included a bunch of random stuff like "eh, eh, eh" so it was really funny (at least to my best friend and I...we laughed so hard while everyone else stared at us) when my teacher read it out loud in his formal voice. Lesson learned: pop music is NOT meant to be read aloud by middle-aged teachers with a French accent.

Another funny story: My friends and I were playing Pictionary, and my best friend and I were on a team. I had to draw "Chinese food", so I drew a plate with a few scribbles on it plus a guy with slits for eyes. I pointed to them and the first thing my friend said was, "Asian?" I nodded and he got the answer really quickly once he saw the plate. I know it's racist, but I don't consider it bad since I'm Asian. :P I don't mean to offend anyone by this, by the way - it was all in jest.

And baseball season finally started up! I had my first game last Saturday, and for once I didn't suck on my first game of the season. If anyone plays baseball/softball, my stats were 2/5 (3 reaches on error, their defense was awful) from the leadoff spot, 1 2B (with 2 strikes! :P), 1 1B, 1 BB, 6(?!) R (scored more runs in this game than baskets during my entire basketball season), 2 SB (coaches told us to stop running after 3 innings so we wouldn't run up the score in a lopsided game), 0 E at second base in a shortened 4-inning game. My second game I went 2/5 again with 2 2B and unfortunately 2 K on some irritating calls. I also pitched, 1.1 IP in relief, 1 ER, 2 K, 3 H, 0 BB

Yes, I'm fully aware that probably made no sense to anyone, especially given my need to comment on half of the stats.

On that note, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Let's go for a run," I suggested, as we walked to the city to throw our trash away. The weather was just as predicted—partly cloudy and not too hot. A mild breeze ruffled my hair. Perfect for a run.

"For the first time in forever," Max noticed. "Is your concussion good to go?"

"It's been a week. I'm fine."

"Let's do it, then," Max said. I was glad she was confident that I was alright—Max never would've agreed to an unnecessary run unless she knew there was no harm. My head felt fine as well; if I didn't know better, I never would've guessed that I got concussed a week ago.

As we approached a trash can in Palm Springs, Max stopped about twenty feet away. "Let's toss the cans from here," she suggested. "I wonder if your aim has improved since last time."

"Last time, as in a month ago?" I asked.

Max nodded. "Yup."

I shrugged. "You go first."

I might not have done as badly as I did in the park in Blythe, but Max killed me. She sunk nine of her ten cans—from three-point distance and against the wind—while I knocked down three.

"I'm the best random-object shooter in the game," Max boasted after making her last shot, smirking at me with her hands on her hips while I collected my missed shots. "Try me with a sorry rookie like you, and that's the result you're gonna get."

"I thought you said no more trash talking until we heard back from Ella," I pointed out, as we sat down on a picnic bench.

"I lied, then."

"Figures. Where'd you pick up this random skill of yours?"

Max sighed. "Lunchtime got boring sometimes. Throwing rocks and pinecones and mulch into trash cans became a hobby of mine, if you could call it that."

"You didn't play basketball with an actual ball?" I asked.

"I wish I could've," Max responded, twirling several strands of hair between her fingers.

I paused, sensing something was wrong. "Why didn't you?" I asked carefully.

Max looked me in the eyes for a moment before sighing. "I guess I should tell you. The boys never let me join their games. It annoyed me since they happily let all the other girls join, but the leaders called me a freak and kicked me out whenever I asked. Anyone who might've stuck up for me was too afraid of them." She picked at the peeling paint on the bench beneath her, her expression giving away nothing. But I knew better—Max wanted to feel wanted, just like everyone else.

I wrapped my arms around her tightly. "They were just afraid of getting their asses handed to them, that's all. Nobody's kicking you out anymore," I whispered into her ear. "I love you, Max. I'll make sure of it."

"It's fine, really," Max said, although her muscles relaxed as usual as she sighed and leaned against me. "I had bigger issues to worry about back then."

"Still, it must've sucked to have everyone be such a jerk to you," I told Max, releasing her.

Max nodded slowly, her eyes firm but slightly dreamy. "It did, I guess. But it doesn't matter now. I have everything I need to be happy now."

"And that is?"

Max paused. "Freedom, I guess," she said.

"And me?"

Max laughed, the music filling my ears. If happiness could be a sound, that was it. "I might deny that I ever said this, but yes, and you, Fang. And the rest of the Flock, of course."

"Of course," I agreed. "Speaking of them, why don't we check out who won the food contest while we're in the city?"

Max shrugged. "If you insist on formalities."

* * *

Hey Fang,

Sorry, but I'm voting for Max. Cookies beat bacon any day. You've tried my mom's homemade cookie recipe, right? It's the best thing ever. Plus, with that comment alone, Max is a better trash-talker than you'll ever be.

Now for everyone else…

From the one and only Igster, you won, Fang. He was tempted to vote for Max, but he just ate bacon for breakfast and said he couldn't deny its deliciousness or something like that. Who knows with Iggy? I hope he doesn't come home from college with 80 extra pounds of fat on him…although I wouldn't put it past him to eat bacon only for a full year.

Gazzy agrees with him. I expected him to, since he eats so much bacon also. He eats cookies, but only when he makes his three-times-a-week trek over to our house to hang out with Nudge and Angel compared to his daily breakfast of bacon and eggs. He and Nudge broke up, by the way, if Nudge didn't tell you.

On the other hand, Nudge picked the cookie cake. She's still as hyper as when you last saw her (which was too long ago, you guys gotta meet up sometime), so the sugary food was an easy pick for her. Interestingly enough, she made Mom whip up a batch of cookies right then and there. She said something about suffering from sugar withdrawal, which is weird since she had cake yesterday.

Angel was the one to decide the winner. Maybe I shouldn't have told her that, since she spent forever milking it. She wanted to put a cookie and piece of bacon in front of Akila and see what she chose, but Gazzy yelled at her since chocolate can kill dogs. Speaking of Akila, you gotta meet her sometime! If we come see you again, I'll try to convince Gazzy to let me bring her. Scratch that, I'll make him come along since you haven't seen him in a long time.

As for whom she chose? Sincerest apologies, Fangster, but Angel picked Max and her cookie cake. Three to two. Max wins. Does she get a trophy or something? What about a nice, long kiss? You should totally give her the latter.

Love,

Ella

* * *

"Ha!" Max exclaimed, once she finished reading the email. "I knew I'd win!"

"Fine. You win bragging rights. Go ahead, anyone who can beat bacon has earned the right to talk smack."

"Okay, I, um," Max managed. "Shoot, I can't think of anything to say," she admitted with a small laugh.

"Then don't say anything," I told her. "If you're not going to brag, I'll take you up on the deal Ella offered."

"What are you talking about?" Max asked grin tugging at the sides of her mouth.

"This," I said, leaning forwards and pressing my lips to hers.

* * *

After we ran twenty miles—my concussion didn't bother me at all—Max and I washed up in a restaurant. I guess since we got together, Max and I had an unspoken agreement to improve our basic hygiene. Both of us wanted to look presentable for each other—at least I wanted to look good to Max. I knew her view of me wouldn't change regardless of how I looked, since we'd seen each other practically caked in sweat and dirt plenty of times, but I felt that as her boyfriend I should respect basic standards like washing up after a run.

"How far is the park from here?" Max asked me, after she washed up thoroughly. I even smelled my shampoo on her hair.

"It's close," I told her. "Less than half an hour of walking from our sleeping spot."

"So we're going tomorrow?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I didn't think about it, but that makes sense."

"That's decided, then," Max said. "Is there anything to do besides pickup volleyball?"

"I think so. It's supposed to be a major attraction," I said, standing up. "It's getting dark. We should go."

* * *

"Fang," Max whispered, squeezing my hand as we slowly walked around the moonlit clearing. Thousands of stars were visible in the sky, helping to illuminate our path well after the sun went down. "This reminds me."

"Of what?" I whispered back.

"The old times. Remember when we stayed up stargazing?"

I nodded. "How could I forget? And this reminds me of something too. It's time I do what I wanted to do but couldn't last time we stargazed."

Max raised her eyebrows, a smile tugging at her lips. "And that is?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but Max was way ahead of me. I felt her soft lips on mine before I even had time to close my eyes.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Who do you think deserved to win the food contest, and why?

Please don't forget to review!


	58. Chapter 47

Random Quote of the Week: _"You poor, sweet, innocent thing, dry your eyes and testify," -Evanescence, in "Sweet Sacrifice"_

Can't remember if I've used that one before. At any rate, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Free _mini golf?_" I asked Fang, as we looked over the Glen Helen Regional Park map. The weather was nice; it was mostly sunny, not hot enough to make us sweat, and breezy.

Fang tilted his head. "I'm just as surprised as you. I guess I didn't look at the website close enough."

"I'm not complaining. That sounds catastrophically fun. What do you say?"

Shrugging, Fang replied, "Let's do it."

We began walking towards the mini golf course, but within ten minutes I realized we didn't know which way to proceed.

"Do we turn right or left?" I asked Fang.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Did you bring a map?"

I shook my head. "I guess we should backtrack and grab a paper map next time."

We turned around and walked back the way we came, but soon enough we reached another fork in the road. Neither of us paid any attention to which way we came from. I was usually good at remembering directions, but with all the paths looking virtually the same I had no clue.

"I'll flip a coin," Fang decided, setting down his backpack. He took out a penny. "Heads is left, tails is right," he said, tossing the coin in the air. It landed on its side and disappeared in the grass flanking the path. Fang stared at the spot where the coin landed. "Are you kidding me?" he complained.

"Let's take that as a good luck charm," I told Fang. "Whichever way we go will be correct."

Fang shrugged. "Left it is," he said, picking up his backpack and walking down the path.

It turned out that my good luck prediction was way off. We ended up at a small lake surrounded by informative boards for tourists containing the park's history. After reading the first three words of one board and getting bored, I grabbed Fang's hand again and pulled him back down the path. We tried several different routes, but we seemed to get more and more lost every step we took.

"Why don't we ask someone?" Fang suggested, sitting down on a bench and taking a sip of his water bottle.

"Good idea," I told Fang, standing up and walking up to a middle-aged man taking a stroll through the park with his wife. "Do you know where the golf course is?" I asked him.

He nodded and pointed to our right. "Walk on down that way, take the third right, take the second left, and continue on down until you reach the bridge," he said.

I took a deep breath, processing his directions. "Okay. Thanks."

"But I wasn't done yet," he said. "Keep going on past the bridge, take the second right just beyond the café, take the first right from there, and you'll be at the entrance of the golf course."

"Thanks, sir," I told him, turning around and walking back to Fang. "He said to take the—"

"I know," Fang cut in. "I heard him."

"I hope you remembered, then, since I already forgot the first step."

"Walk to our right, take the third right," he told me. "I won't forget, don't worry."

Fang and I spent the next hour walking through the park, following the man's directions. At last, when we arrived at the course's entrance, I sat down on the bench beside the gate.

"Wait a minute," Fang said. "This is the _real _golf course, not the mini golf course."

My head shot up. When I saw the expansive course, I realized our mistake and groaned. "You've _got _to be kidding me."

"I'd suggest trying our hands to see how bad we could possibly be at real golf, but the sign says players need to provide their own clubs," Fang said, running a hand through his hair.

"Screw that, then."

"On the bright side," Fang added. "There's a map right here, so we won't be lost any longer."

"How far is the mini golf?" I asked him.

After a quick look at the map, Fang said, "All the way across the park. It's two minutes from the entrance."

"Are you _freaking _kidding me?" I complained. "Life must really hate us today." Still, I stood up and walked with Fang to the course. We made it to the mini golf course entrance just before eleven o' clock. "Have you ever played with the Flock?" I asked Fang.

He shook his head. "Gazzy, Iggy, and Nudge played a few times, but nobody else."

We got our clubs and balls before heading out to the first hole. It was nothing like what I expected. I imagined the hole would look something like a smooth, normal green, but there were tons of divots and obstacles, the largest being a windmill in the center of the green whose blades rotated to occasionally block the ball's path below.

Fang went first. He dropped his ball in the tee circle and hit it towards the windmill. He missed badly, and the ball spun sideways and hit a wall before reaching an incline and rolling back to the hole.

I teed off next, and didn't do much better. I nearly missed the ball completely, but somehow I managed to clip a little of it. The ball rolled in the general direction of the windmill for a few feet before coming to a stop.

Since both of us were so inexperienced, it took a good fifteen minutes to finish the first hole alone. I managed to get the ball in the hole in nine shots, while it took Fang twelve.

As challenging as the first hole was for us, the second looked even more daunting.

"There's a freaking stream running across the middle! How is this possible?" I complained, to no one in particular.

Fang went to work immediately, teeing up his ball and sending it right into the stream. "I don't know," he answered me.

It turned out there was a small bridge over to the right that neither Fang nor I spotted until we had each launched six strokes in vain. Even so, it took us several more shots to get our ball past the bridge and into the hole.

The rest of the game progressed similarly. Fang and I ignored the six-stroke limit imposed by the course and kept playing each hole until we made it in. This led to rather inflated scores for both of us—by the end, my score was 148 and Fang's was 132. To put that in perspective, the leaderboard consisted of scores in the thirties and forties. Fang technically won, but we both did so badly that Fang didn't see it fit to talk any smack.

After our mentally exhausting but fun game, we decided to eat a quick lunch before walking down to the pickup volleyball courts. We thankfully didn't encounter any difficulties making the short walk, and arrived just after one. All four courts were taken, but some of them looked skimpy enough on players—three or four per team—that Fang and I could join without messing up the games.

"You guys wanna join?" one of the boys called to us, as we approached the sandy courts.

Fang and I looked at each other and shrugged. "Sure," Fang replied.

The court was littered with about seven kids, both boys and girls, all but one of them about my age. One of them was distinctly younger—maybe twelve—and was probably the brother of the guy who invited us over, since they had the same blonde, windswept hair and pale skin.

"I'm Fang," Fang said to the group, as we stepped onto the sand. "This is Max, my girlfriend."

"Awesome," the boy said. "I'm Dylan, pleased to meet you." The rest of the group took turns introducing themselves. Maya, Dylan's girlfriend, looked just like me, but she was taller and had longer hair than I did. Omega was the athlete of the group, with a tall, muscular frame and light brown hair.

"Have you played before?" Omega asked us.

Fang shook his head. "Neither of us."

"That's cool," Omega said. "I'll teach you guys the basics."

After we learned the basic volleyball strokes, Dylan insisted that we start the game. "They'll pick up the other stuff faster that way," he reasoned.

Fang and I were on the same team with Omega and three girls, and against Dylan, his brother, Maya, and two other guys. Dylan served the ball right to me, and I tried to bump it up to Fang but completely missed it. The ball landed at my feet, making a small crater in the sand.

"It's alright," Omega assured me. "You'll get the hang of it."

Given my past history with clumsy affairs—read: skimboarding—I wasn't so sure.

We played volleyball for several hours, and Omega was right—both Fang and I improved greatly throughout the day. When the boys decided to call it a day, Fang and I were capable of accurately bumping and setting, although spiking proved to be a major challenge for us. One time, Fang spiked the ball hard…into my face. This earned an enthusiastic round of applause from the others.

"You guys should come out here more often," Dylan said, as we made our way as a group out of the park. "We're here every weekend if you wanna join us."

"Thanks for the offer, but we're just tourists here," I told him. "We're gone in a few days."

Dylan nodded in acknowledgement. "That's cool. Where are you two from?"

"Arizona," Fang answered.

"I used to visit Phoenix every summer," Dylan said. "It's a nice place."

"It is," Fang agreed, as we neared the exit. "Well, nice meeting you all. I had fun." Fang held out his hand for Dylan to shake, and he took it. Fang and I exchanged handshakes and fist-bumps with the rest of the group before parting ways.

* * *

No QOTC this time, but I have a small favor to ask everyone - I'd be VERY grateful if everyone took a second to tell me their favorite and least favorite aspect(s) of ANB. It takes thirty seconds, and will help me out tons in writing more enjoyable chapters in the future.

Thanks for reading!


	59. Chapter 48

Random Quote of the Week: _"Because of you, I am afraid...because of you," -Kelly Clarkson, in "Because Of You"_

ANB is officially one year old! Very special thanks to those who have been following since the start and sticking along the whole time. A whole YEAR...I did not see this coming.

Announcement time! I have the ending planned out finally! The end is in sight...if you can see to about Chapter 75. Wow, I can't believe I actually stuck to that plan...anyways, I don't want to think about ending this yet! Still another at least 15 chapters of this, and plenty of plot left!

Oh, and the next volley of chapters will be pretty short (1500-2000 words, on average.) Just a heads up!

Enjoy! :)

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Max," I said, shoving the empty can into my backpack. "I was just thinking that we never got around to telling Ella about…us getting together."

"That's true," Max noticed. "I remember how excited she was. Care to tell her today?"

I nodded. "Unless you have a plan for today, we've got nothing better to do."

"Me? A plan?" Max said. "Good joke. Let's do it."

We walked into the city and found a payphone quickly, for once. I inserted quarters and dialed Ella's number.

Hello," Ella said. "Who is this?"

"Fang."

"Oh, hey. I was actually going to email you. Things have been going down at home."

"Is it important?" I asked her.

"Very," she replied, her voice cracking slightly, which was _really _uncharacteristic of her. "Angel's sick." I hoped Angel had a common cold or something. But something told me that wasn't the case; Ella seemed really uptight with her terse and unenthusiastic speech. Ella was only like that when she was really nervous.

"How sick?" I asked,

After a pause, Ella responded, "Really sick. She had to go the hospital this morning."

My breath caught in my throat. "No way," I replied, my stomach dropping down to my knees

"Okay. We'll be there as soon as possible. What does she have?"

"We don't know yet. But she had a 103 degree fever and difficulty breathing. Mom thought it was severe acute respiratory syndrome."

"What's that?" I asked.

"I don't know the details of it," Ella said, "but it's bad. The good news is that it lasts less than a week in most cases. The bad news is that the death rate is twelve percent, which is way too high for comfort. It can also lead to heart failure."

"Shit," was all I could say. I wanted to assure Ella I'd be okay, but I wasn't sure how. I was at a complete loss for words.

"That's right," Ella replied. "We all hope it's just the flu or something, but Mom says it's worse."

"Okay. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Do you need a ride? Iggy can pick you up. What city are you in?" she asked.

"Palm Springs, California," I replied.

"Okay, I'll assume there's a library there. Be there by nine this evening, and Iggy will take you guys back. I'll fill you in on everything else when you get back," she said.

"All right. Take care, Ells."

"You too, Fang," she said, hanging up the phone.

"What happened?" Max asked me.

I took a deep breath. "Angel's sick back at home." I looked away, feeling slightly lightheaded as I sat down on the bench. I wanted to believe that Ella was joking, but I knew full well that wasn't the case.

"How bad?" she asked.

I told her everything. Once finished, I said, "I think we should go back."

Max frowned, before nodding quickly. "Of course. Angel's sick. That's more important."

"I'm sorry, Max," I told her, and I meant it. "I didn't want it to end this way either."

Max stared at me, her eyes wide and trusting. "_End?_"

"I didn't mean it that way," I assured her. "End of our time as runaways."

"It's fine," Max said, taking my hand. "Angel's way more important." Just then, I realized I forgot to tell Ella that Max and I got together. Oh well, it was probably better that I didn't so I wouldn't distract Ella. I suddenly felt extremely grateful that the Martinez family was so nice to us. If it weren't for them, and Angel had severe acute respiratory syndrome, she'd probably be dead before we could get back.

"You look stressed," Max noticed.

"I wonder why."

After a pause, Max decided, "Let's go for a walk; it'll help clear your head. Don't you want to be at your best to help Angel?"

I slowly nodded. "Okay."

We took a walk through the forest near our sleeping spot, and Max tried to distract me by pointing out everything from the birds overhead to the ferns by our feet. I noticed the strong head-on breeze rippling through the air, parting my hair down the middle. But my mind was still focused on Angel—guilt burned at my belly. How could I not be there when she got sick? How could I just leave for my own purposes?

We walked for maybe three hours, but it felt like years until Max finally decided to put down on a small hill overlooking part of the city.

"It's not your fault, Fang," Max said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over us as soon as Max gave up her attempts to distract me. "If you stayed, Angel would probably be living with your parents right now. I know she loves you and wants you to be there with her, but we both know you did the right thing."

I picked at the grass by my legs, scattering shreds of it to the wind. "She could _die. _And I might not be there for her. I just _left _her, Max." I buried my face in my hands and took deep breaths to keep myself under control. I choked back a small sob, shaking my head, knowing I should've known something like this was going to happen before I ran away.

Max put her arm around my shoulder. "Fang, you can't blame yourself for that. You could've gotten sick too if you were with her. Since when did things not work out for us? We've done every imaginable stupid thing, and yet we're still here, alive and strong."

I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out—because Max was right. We'd overcome more than our share of adversity to get to where we were now, facing impossible odds before. An eighty-plus percent chance of surviving should've been no issue. But it was my _sister_. Plus, I just realized that Max and I let our walls against adversity come tumbling down the past few days so we could just enjoy being with each other. Ella's news about Angel completely blindsided me. As much as I wanted it to be a cruel joke inspired by Iggy, I knew better—Ella never wouldn't joked about something like that.

"I don't want to tell you what to feel," Max added. "And I know I can't. But even though we're—we're girlfriend and boyfriend now, you're still my best friend. I love you, Fang. I care about you. And as much as I hate seeing you stressed or weak, I hate knowing you're upset even more."

"Am I supposed to be not stressed and upset right now? When it comes down to it, my sister's sick."

"That's not what I'm suggesting," Max said, taking a calm deep breath. "I guess I'm trying to tell you not to forget that I'm here for you."

"Yeah—yeah, I know," I said, looking down.

Max gave me a peck on the cheek. "Stay strong, Fangles."

* * *

"Are you guys ready to go?" Iggy asked Max and me, as he walked towards us. His blue car was parked in front of the library we stood in front of. The sun had already set, giving us no light to see each other through save for the streetlights running parallel to the lengthy parking lot. I couldn't read his expression in the low light, but Iggy did not look too upbeat with his lifeless gait.

I nodded. "How long's the drive again?"

"Five, six hours. We'll be there by three tomorrow."

"Jeez, are you sure you can drive that long?" Max asked him.

Iggy shrugged. "No reason why not. We need to get you guys back as soon as possible."

"Any words from Ella since this morning?" I asked.

Iggy shook his head. "Nothing so far."

"Has she been sleeping all day?"

"Yeah, at least from this morning to when I left," Iggy replied. "It's pretty late, you guys need anything else or are we ready to rock?"

"Let's go," I decided.

Max and I got in the back seat of Iggy's car. Once we were buckled in, Iggy hit the pedal and we were on our way.

Max squeezed my hand, her long fingers fitting perfectly in the spaces between mine. "It'll be fine, Fang."

I took a deep breath. "I know."

Max continued to say encouraging things to me, like how I was the strongest guy she knew, and that Angel's willpower and the hospital's expertise couldn't possibly fail, but I had trouble focusing on her words. I ended up staring out the window at the cities blurring together so I wouldn't have to think. I tried to think of what to say to Angel once I saw her tomorrow, but my mind went blank.

Iggy didn't utter a word from the driver's seat, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. It was almost like he was impervious to the cloud of tension and anxiety surrounding me. What would I ever do if Angel died? I'd never forgive myself for not being there for her.

A sudden beep sounded in front of me, causing everyone to jump.

"It's just my watch," I explained. "It's midnight."

* * *

Welp. Guess that's the end of running away...for now at least!

Question of the Chapter: Do you want Angel to live because she's Angel or do you want her to die to spice things up? (by the way, I hope you guys enjoyed the first non-filler chapter for a month)

By the way, you did indeed read the first true curse word in this story right in this chapter. I wonder what that means about Angel...I don't use profanity in writing unless something's _seriously _wrong...


	60. Chapter 49: Part 1

Random Quote of the Week: _"Didn't they tell us, "Don't rush into things."? Didn't you flash your green eyes at me, haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?" -Taylor Swift, in "Wonderland"_

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"We're almost there," Iggy said from the front seat, his voice slurred from exhaustion. He had a coffee several hours ago that was just wearing off now. "One more hour."

"You wanna stop for some more coffee?" I asked, cradling Max's head in my lap. She'd fallen asleep several hours ago. I tried to as well, but frightening thoughts of Angel bombarded my mind every time I closed my eyes.

Iggy shook his head. "I'll make it."

I wanted to object, to tell Iggy that he was crazy to drive without coffee at two in the morning, but I couldn't muster up an argument. Heck, I still had no idea what I was going to tell Angel when I saw her.

"You're taking us to the hospital, right?" I asked Iggy.

"Yeah. Is that cool with you guys?"

"Yup."

"Max?" Iggy asked.

There was a beat of silence. "She's still sleeping," I told him.

Iggy stuck his hand in his pocket and tossed his phone into the back seat. "Can you text Ella and tell her we'll be there in an hour?"

"Yeah," I said, picking up the object, which turned out to be Iggy's smartphone.

"Thanks." We drove on in silence the rest of the way, while I slipped in and out of consciousness but couldn't fall asleep. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Iggy pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"Max," I whisper-spoke, shaking her shoulder. "Time to go."

Max's eyes opened a crack before closing again. She let out a groan. "How far?" she mumbled.

"We're there. At the hospital."

Max nodded groggily and sat up slowly. "What time is it?"

"Two fifteen," Iggy answered. We walked through the front door into the main lobby of the children's wing of the hospital. People trickled through the lobby, but nobody seemed too enthusiastic to be in a building full of sick kids at two in the morning. The tall walls were covered in signs written in large print.

"Can we see Angel Walker?" Iggy asked the woman at the front desk.

"Sure, lemme check something first," she responded, looking at her computer then picking up a phone. "Three teenagers wish to visit room 6254." Pause. "Yeah?" Pause. "Okay," she said putting the phone down. "Y'all can come up, but the two Martinez visitors up there gotta come down. No more than two people."

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell her that Angel was my sister and I hadn't seen her in forever, but Iggy cut me off. "No problem, ma'am," he said to the lady before turning to me. "I'll just call 'em and tell them to come down for a minute while you and Max go up."

I wanted Iggy to come with us, but we both knew that trying to twist the rules in a hospital for the second time could go nowhere good. "All right," I told him, nodding and sitting down in a cushioned seat.

Iggy dialed Ella's number and put his phone to his ear. "Hello? Hello?" Iggy said into the phone, before frowning and hanging up. "Her phone is off."

"What about Dr. Martinez? She probably has her phone," Max said.

Iggy nodded and called Dr. Martinez, but she didn't pick up either. "Her phone's off also," Iggy said, sighing.

"How can we contact them?" I asked him.

"There's no way now. I'll send them a text message, though, so if they turn their phones on they'll come down."

I walked back to the front desk, and Iggy and Max followed. "Is there a way we can send a message to the visitors up there?" I asked the lady.

She shook her head. "Unless you need to convey urgent medical information to the doctors, that's a no."

"Is there a way we can go up to the room, knock on the door, and tell them to let us in?" Max asked.

She shook her head again. "No entry into the patients' wing without signing in. And there are no authorized sign-ins for room 6254 right now."

I knew I should've stayed calm, but I was tired and grumpy. "Come on, ma'am. My sister has severe acute respiratory syndrome, and you're telling me that I can't see her because of some stupid two-visitor rule?"

She nodded firmly. "I'm glad you understand the rules, young man. Now please take a seat in the waiting room or leave the building. I don't have time for arguing, with an ambulance due to arrive in five minutes."

Iggy sighed. "Come on, Fang, let's—"

I gently shoved him aside. "Let me in," I told the woman. "Or I'm going in anyways."

"Young sir, infringing upon hospital rules can be punishable by law. Listen up, this is the last time I'm going to tell you. As soon as," she checked her computer, "Ella and Valencia Martinez leave the room, the doctors will tell me and I'll let you guys up."

Iggy and Max each grabbed one of my arms and pulled me to the waiting room before I could argue further. "It's not worth it," Max told me. "They'll be down soon. How long could they possibly stay up there?"

"I don't get it. This is literally the stupidest rule in the world, and believe me, my school had some dumb rules," I complained.

"Chillax, bro," Iggy said, yawning. I'd been so focused on seeing Angel, I'd forgotten how late it was. Only now did I feel the intense fatigue setting in. My eyelids began to feel heavy. "We just gotta stay up until then."

"We can get some coffee across the street," Max said. "I saw one on the way from the parking lot."

"It's fine," I said, my eyes closing as I felt Max rest her head on my shoulder. The last thing I remembered saying was, "I don't need it."

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Do you have a favorite song? If so, what is it?

My answer: My Happy Ending by Avril Lavigne! I've listened to it hundreds of times and am still not bored of it.


	61. Chapter 49: Part 2

Random Quote of the Week: _"This is a modern fairy tail, no happy ending, no wind in our sails," -Selena Gomez, in "The Heart Wants What It Wants"_

I'll be honest, I wish I delayed the romance even more. It was so much fun to write all those unrequited love chapters...they were probably my favorite part of the story.

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Fang!"

"Wha?" My eyes shot open. Ella stood right in front of me, flanked by Iggy, Max, and Dr. Martinez.

"I just thought you might've wanted to be woken up. It's seven in the morning. Mom and I just went down to grab breakfast when we saw you three conked out in here," Ella said. "Sorry about yesterday. I have a habit of keeping my phone off in hospitals. I didn't even get Iggy's text when you were driving here."

"It's fine," I said. "Is Angel doing alright?"

She nodded. "She's doing a little better, but she's still asleep."

"Do the doctors know when she'll be released?"

Ella frowned, sticking her hands in her pockets. "It's hard to say at this point. It could be just one or two days, if all goes well. But if Angel's condition develops into something more serious, there's no telling how long she'll be here."

"Can we go up and see her?" I asked, stretching my arms as I stood up.

"Technically, yes, because she's not contagious. But Mom and I were thinking of getting you some breakfast first. You only got four hours of sleep, so a little food would be nice to give you some energy."

"I think I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Dr. Martinez asked. "It'll take fifteen minutes. Nothing's going to happen to Angel in that short a time with two trained doctors at her side."

"It's fine. I'll eat afterwards," I said.

Ella and Dr. Martinez gave each other a firm glance, as if they were communicating telepathically. "Fine," Dr. Martinez decided. "Who's going with Fang?"

"I'll go," Max volunteered. "Unless you want to go?" she asked Iggy.

Iggy shook his head. "You go on ahead, I'll catch Angel later. A grilled cheese sandwich is calling my name."

"Meet us in the eating area in the east wing whenever you're done. Take your time, we have all day," Ella told me.

"See you later, Elly," I replied.

I watched Ella, Iggy, and Dr. Martinez disappear out the front door.

"Don't worry about it, Fang," Max said, taking my hand.

I blinked twice. "What?"

A small half-smile formed on Max' face. "I know you're nervous. But think about this: Angel has a ninety percent chance of surviving, worst case."

"And a good chance of dying too," I muttered.

Max squeezed my hand. "Anyone can die anytime, Fang. Angel goes to school every day just like everyone else. I don't mean to be pessimistic, but she could get run over by a drunk driver while crossing the street."

"But that's rare," I protested. "Ten percent isn't rare."

Max opened her mouth to speak, but decided otherwise. She looked around the waiting room. "Fang, since when did odds matter? What were the odds of me climbing into a sewer and meeting you?"

"Um…I don't know."

"Then let's go," Max said, tugging my hand. "Sign-in desk is that way."

We signed in and boarded the elevator. Faint classical music permeated the air from a quartet of speakers strategically placed in the corners of the vestibule.

As the elevator slowly rose, I couldn't stop my feet from shaking. I was about to see my little sister for the first time in weeks, and she wasn't doing well. I pictured Angel covered in blankets but still shivering, her heartbeat monitor flashing red.

I took a deep breath. It wasn't that bad.

"Do you want me in with you?" Max asked me. "It's your sister. Your call."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. If nothing else, I think we owe it to Angel to tell her that her dreams of us getting together have finally come to pass."

Max laughed. "I hope she doesn't freak out too badly."

A loud ding above me brought me back to reality. The grey elevator doors opened in front of us, and we walked out into the long hallway. We passed dozens of open doors with people being carted in, but not one of them registered in my mind as important. The only person I was thinking about was Angel.

When we reached the end of the hallway, I looked up and saw _Room 6254 _engraved into the door in front of me.

Max stepped forwards, not letting go of my hand. I closed my eyes, waiting for Max to open the door. She seemed to get what I was thinking. She shook her head. "You open the door."

I took a deep breath, setting my twitching hand on the handle. I realized I wasn't just opening the door to Angel's hospital room—I was opening the door back into my old life.

The feeling wasn't anything like I expected—I'd been dreading this day. To my surprise, it was oddly liberating in a way that filled me with a new burst of willpower.

Giving Max's hand a tight squeeze, I turned the handle and entered the room. Before I could stop myself, I briskly walked to Angel's bed.

I stared at Angel's unmoving face. The block of stress and nervousness sitting in my body melted ever so lightly. I'd half-expected Angel's face to be covered in buboes for all the worrying I'd done. She looked just like she did normally when she slept, except her sky-blue eyes were a crack open.

Angel smiled, her expression one of complete peace. "Fang."

"Angel." I took a deep breath, unsure of what to say now that I was here. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," she said softly, her voice hoarse.

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know," she replied. "But the worst is over now. I'll be okay, I promise."

"Angel…"

Angel coughed. "The doctors just discovered it's not SARS. Just an overblown flu."

I probably should've kept my distance from her nonetheless, but I found myself leaning forwards and hugging Angel tightly. "Thank freaking goodness."

When we pulled away, Angel closed her eyes. "Tired."

"I know." I handed Angel the half-full glass of warm water sitting on the table by her bed, which she sipped slowly. "Do you want me to stay?" I asked her.

She weakly shook her head. "You can go if you'd like. We can catch up another time. Do the others know about you and Max?" Angel asked with a smile.

I looked behind me at Max, but her eyebrows were knit in confusion. "What are you talking about?" I said to Angel.

She coughed, covering her mouth with one of the many blankets on her bed. "I mean, you and Max getting together?"

"How did you know?" Max asked.

Angel laughed, but it quickly turned into another cough. "The way you were looking at Fang gave it away. You guys look hungry," she noticed. "Why don't you eat something?"

"One last thing," I said. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell the doctors to call Dr. Martinez. It's their job to make sure you're well."

"I'll be fine, brother."

"See you later, Angel," I told her.

"You too, Fang. And you, Max."

I turned to Max. "Let's go find those jokers. Breakfast calls."

* * *

Quite the anticlimactic result, yes? At least we know she's well now.

Question of the Chapter: Do you think Fang and Max should run away again? Why or why not?

Random fact: Every hospital room in this story is Room 6254 because that's the combo to my friend's bike lock. Before you all try and go steal his bike, his lock is broken and he got a new one.


	62. Chapter 49: Part 3

Random Quote of the Week: _"Keep your e-eyes open" -Taylor Swift, in "Eyes Open"_

I hope you all are enjoying MR Forever! I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, and with a stack of books on my table ready for reading I think I'll wait until MRF hits my library before reading it. Remember, no spoilers please! I'm really looking forwards to reading it, and if anyone wants to talk about it I'd LOVE to once I read it.

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Thanks again, Dr. Martinez," I said, between bites of my third burger. The large cafeteria signs designed for visually impaired citizens to read did nothing to distract me from stuffing my face with food. "This is the stuff."

Dr. Martinez smiled and replied, "No problem, Fang. Eat as much as you'd like."

"How'd your visit with Angel go?" Ella asked me.

"Pretty well. Did the doctors tell you that she doesn't have severe acute respiratory syndrome?"

Dr. Martinez and Ella stared at each other with their identical intense but caring chocolate-brown eyes before simultaneously breathing sighs of relief. "You're kidding…" Dr. Martinez muttered. "I was sure that was what she had."

"But I'm so glad it's not that," Ella said. "Did the doctors diagnose the issue?"

"What does 'diagnose' mean?" I asked, oblivious. All I could picture was a bottlenose dolphin splashing around in the ocean.

Ella gave me a universal _Are you kidding me? _look, but Dr. Martinez patiently replied, "It basically means to figure out what's wrong."

"Oh. In that case, Angel has an overblown flu."

"Thank goodness," Max, who had been so quiet I'd forgotten she was there, said, wiping her greasy hands on a napkin. She leaned her head against my shoulder and intertwined her fingers with mine.

"I didn't see that one coming," Ella said.

"Neither did I, although that result is hardly surprising," Dr. Martinez said. "That would've been my second guess."

Ella suddenly jumped in her seat, causing everyone to jump as well. "Wait, are you two holding hands?" she asked, her voice eager as she looked between Max and me.

"You didn't see that they were a couple sooner?" Dr. Martinez asked her daughter. "Looks like your matchmaking skills are diminishing."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. When did this happen?" Ella said, looking intently at us.

"A week ago," I replied.

"Aah!" Ella cried. "This is amazing! Nudge—oh sorry, she's not here. But how did it happen? Did Fang tell you how much he loves you, Max?"

"Pretty much," Max replied. "He confessed twice, actually."

Ella looked at her. "Why?"

"I thought I was dreaming the first time," Max said, causing everyone—including Iggy—to laugh.

"Oh my, my little Maxlet. Did you know Fang told me he loved you two weeks ago?" Ella said.

Max raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yep, in an email. If we weren't in a hospital, I'd make you guys tell me every detail. As it is, I think we can wait until home."

"Oh, speaking of home…" I said, looking at Dr. Martinez. "Would you mind if we stayed with you for a while to get back on our feet?"

"Of course, kids," she answered, without hesitation. "You're welcome any time."

"FANG!" I heard, to my right. I looked up to see Gazzy and Nudge running through the cafeteria towards us, weaving through people and tables.

I stood up to greet them and was immediately tackle-hugged by Nudge. Thankfully, she was small enough to not knock me over, but with her energy she came awfully close. I gave Gazzy a bro hug before we all sat back down at the table.

"Good news: Angel just has an overblown flu, so she can come home soon," Ella told them. "More good news: Max and Fang got together. For real."

"Oh my god!" Nudge squealed. "I knew it! You guys are, like, perfect for each other! How long did it take?" she asked. I opened my mouth to answer but was cut off by—you guessed it—Nudge. "You've kissed, right? Of course you have. No couple of eighteen-year-olds doesn't make out twenty-four-seven. ZOMG, this is what I've been—"

"Nudge!" Gazzy cried. "Shut up, will you?"

Nudge looked hurt. "Okay, fine."

"Now onto the important business—can I get some food?" Gazzy asked Dr. Martinez.

She laughed, handing him a twenty. "Of course, Gazzy."

He disappeared into the cafeteria, making a beeline for the grill.

"That boy eats so much food," Dr. Martinez said, with a smile. "He'd way ten thousand pounds if he didn't exercise so much."

"How'd you two even get here?" Iggy asked Nudge.

"Your daddy drove us. He wanted to visit Angel too but he has too much work today and didn't get a day off like Mom did. If—"

"Thanks, Nudge," I interrupted. "Once you and Gazzy are done eating, do you want to check up on Angel?"

Nudge nodded vigorously. "Can I have some money too, Mom?"

"Of course, Nudge. While those two clowns are eating, do you want to take this time to visit Angel?"

Iggy shrugged. "Sure."

"Anything to give the lovebirds some space," Ella added, winking at us.

* * *

"Are you sure you can't get Angel discharged today?" I asked Dr. Martinez, as Ella, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Max walked with us down the long hallway to the elevator. It had gotten dark several hours ago, so—since Angel was alright—Dr. Martinez wanted to go home.

She shook her head. "I asked the doctors once, and they wanted to give her another day just in case since it was a horrifically bad flu. She'll still be sick for the rest of the week, but she can come home tomorrow."

"It's fine, Fang," Max told me. "Angel's in good hands."

"Still…I'd feel safer knowing she was at home," I said.

"You know I hate hospitals," Max said. "But I trust them to treat Angel well. These doctors don't get paid millions of dollars for nothing."

We walked through the dimly lit, musty garage to Dr. Martinez's van. Ella sat in the front seat, Iggy and Gazzy sat in the middle row, and Max, Nudge, and I got in the cramped back of the car.

The twenty-minute drive to Dr. M's house was relatively quiet. We arrived just as Mr. Martinez pulled into the driveway.

He approached us casually, smiling slightly. "Ella, would you mind—" He paused, staring at me. "Fang, is that you?"

I nodded. "I'm back, Mr. Martinez."

He looked at me for a moment before bursting into a grin so wide I feared his brown, bushy moustache would fall off. "I'm glad you're back. We've missed you very much."

"I've missed you too, sir," I said. I'd never been all that close to Mr. Martinez, but I was grateful for all the help he gave Angel and I before I left. He occasionally gave us small amounts of money, telling us to 'enjoy ourselves'. He even invited me to a football game once when he had an extra ticket. Mr. Martinez wasn't the kind of person to buy us a mansion, but he knew the importance of the small things in life.

"Fang, just because I haven't seen you in a month and a half does not give you permission to call me 'sir'," Mr. Martinez said in his thick Hispanic accent. He'd lived in Mexico for twenty years before immigrating to the States and meeting Dr. Martinez. They'd actually lived in Florida before having kids for several years before Mr. Martinez found a great job opportunity here in Arizona. He'd been working as a software developer for almost twenty years before he was recently promoted to Vice President of his company last year.

"Sorry, si—Mr. Martinez."

He waved his hand. "Let's go inside. Don't want to miss dinner, do you?"

"Absolutely not."

I walked down the brick walkway and up the porch stairs that I'd taken so many times before. The tan-colored bricks that the house was constructed of really appealed to me for some reason—they looked simple yet elegant. Like a classy businessman rather than a gaudy pimp. A black lamppost stood behind me, the three pointed lights inside it illuminating the night. Streetlights lined the cul-de-sac every thirty or so yards.

Behind me, an oval garden occupied most of the front yard. Nudge, Ella, and Angel all enjoyed gardening in their spare time, so the three of them decided to pool their efforts to construct an elaborate island of plants in the Martinez front yard. Purple flowers that I didn't know the name of lined the outside of it, with different types of flowers, ferns, and mosses organized neatly in the middle. A cluster of bright pink flowers was planted in a heart shape in the very center. The flowers looked virtually identical to how they looked before I ran away, to my surprise. Even though I wasn't into gardening, I had to admit they did a good job planning, constructing, and maintaining such an elaborate project.

I followed Mr. Martinez into the house, stepping onto the large rug placed at the foyer entrance and setting my backpack down. The girls' shoes were neatly lined up on the edge of the rug, but Iggy's shoes and Gazzy's shoes were upside down and strewn about in the middle. I placed my shoes by the girls' and joined the Flock in the kitchen.

"We're having lasagna for dinner," Ella told me, as I took a seat on a stool by the marble table in the center of the kitchen. "It'll be ready in about an—"

"Aah!" Max cried. I turned quickly to see a flash of silver—the blade of a knife—in the air, pointed right at Max.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Do you want Max and Fang to stay with the Martinezes or live in their own place?

Please review!


	63. Chapter 49: Part 4

Random Quote of the Week: _"A little laziness goes a long way." -heartofglass99, while explaining the benefits of procrastination to his friend_

Random Quote of the Week 2: _"Can you look at the staaaaaaaaaaaaaars?" -Grace Potter, in "Stars"_

1200 reviews! This is insane, you guys are the best.

* * *

**Fang's POV**

Max jumped backwards as a kitchen knife impaled the hardwood floor where her feet were a split-second ago.

"You'll get the hang of it," Dr. Martinez told her, not missing a beat chopping lettuce.

Smiling with relief, I got the sense that they'd survive—even if barely. Hearing television applause down the hallway, I figured Iggy and Gazzy were watching baseball in the family room. I walked over and plopped down on the white leather couch next to them.

"Have you kept up with the sports teams?" Gazzy asked.

I shook my head. "Nah. "

"I don't know what happened, but our local teams suck now. This is the first baseball game I've watched since that one where I saw Max kiss you on the camera thingy," he said. "I thought you guys were too poor for that stuff."

"One-dollar ticket nights really come in handy," I replied. "We paid two bucks, and got two tickets plus a postgame concert. Anyways, why aren't you helping the girls make dinner?" I asked him. "Max almost killed herself with a knife."

Iggy laughed, tossing the remote on the coffee table. "Ella and her mom like cooking, and I thought I'd give Max a chance to try it out."

"You're aware she almost got herself impaled with a knife, right?" I asked him.

"I guess I'll be back in the kitchen tomorrow," Iggy said, yawning.

We spent the next hour watching our Arizona Diamondbacks get crushed, continuing a seven-game losing streak. Iggy looked pretty upset about his team's futility, but in all honesty I didn't really care. I had so many more important things to worry about when Max and I were on the run; sports took a back seat in my mind.

"DINNER IS READY!" Nudge called, running around the house to make sure everyone heard her.

"Ella, would you mind getting a sleeping bag from downstairs for tonight? Until I can fix up the second guest room, Max will be sleeping in your room," Dr. Martinez said.

Ella nodded. "Of course, mom."

"Wait a minute, I'll sleep on the floor," Max interjected. "Ella can have her bed."

Dr. Martinez shook her head. "It wouldn't be right of us to make you sleep on the floor after all you've been going through the past month. You need some proper rest."

"I'm used to sleeping on the ground, I'll be fine," Max said, following Ella down the tan carpeted stairs to the basement. The girls debated all the way down.

"Fang, since Iggy and Gazzy aren't spending the night here, you can have the guest room," Dr. Martinez told me. "And since it's only nine, you have all the time you need to shower up. We have shampoo and soap in the bathroom."

"Thanks, Dr. M," I said, picking up my backpack at the foyer and walking up the staircase to the guest room. I opened my backpack and dumped its contents on the floor—the Flock's phone numbers, which I wouldn't need, Angel's plastic wedding ring from forever ago, two spare cans of black beans, my laptop—, three full outfits, and my watch.

As I walked to the bathroom, clean clothes in hand, I realized it was the first time in what felt like forever taking a shower. I shampooed my hair twice and took a long bath in the hot water before finally drying off and putting a clean set of clothes on. On my way out of the room, I bumped into Max.

"Sorry," she said, stepping back. Smiling slightly, she sniffed the air. "You smell good." She leaned in and buried her face in my neck, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. Max had just showered too, and her hair was still sopping wet. Drops of water pricked my arms what felt like a thousand times during our embrace.

"You too," I replied. I wasn't sure what kind of shampoo Ella and Nudge fixed her up with, but it sure smelled better than a mix of dew and dirt. It felt a bit odd being sanitary and clean like normal teenagers, but it was a welcome change from being caked with dirt nearly every second of every day.

"How's Ella's room treating you?" I asked Max, once we pulled away but left our hands in each other's.

She shrugged. "Haven't seen it yet. I took an hour-long bath, just like you. It felt kind of weird though, like I was washing a part of me down the drain with the dirt."

"It's kind of like that, isn't it?" I replied, running my free hand through her hair. "Soon enough we'll be neat freaks throwing around Franklins like nothing."

Max laughed. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. But since we'll have to blend in with society now, I might as well live up to a few of its standards."

"I guess so. Wait, does that mean you don't want to run away again?" I asked her.

Max shifted on her feet. "I don't know. I don't want to think about that right now, though. We have an awesome house to live in right now, so why not make the most of it?" she said, eyeing my bedroom door.

Catching her drift, I nodded and led her into my room. I closed the door before we sat up on the bed. As soon as we were both on, I looked into Max's eyes and pressed my lips to hers.

Max kissed me back immediately, sending a shock wave through my mouth and down my spinal cord, waking every part of my body. Her lips were still moist from her shower, but they didn't lose their soft texture and slightly salty taste. She grabbed the roots of my hair—which normally might've hurt—but all I wanted to do right now was taste as much of Max as I could.

I put my arms around Max's back, pulling her closer to me. In what felt like a second later, I heard a knock on the door. We jumped apart at the same time. I landed softly on the pillows behind me, but Max wasn't so lucky. Her head slammed into the brown wooden bedpost as she crashed to the carpet.

Max groaned in pain, rubbing her head. "Come in," she said loudly.

The door opened, and Ella appeared in the doorway. "Max!" she cried. "Are you all right?"

Max nodded. "I'm fine. No doctor necessary."

Ella laughed, picking an invisible speck of dust off her shirt. "That's good. How'd you get there anyways?"

Max looked at me quickly before darting her eyes back to Ella. "I just…fell off the be—"

"—ed after you heard me knock and you and Fang were making out so you didn't want me to see you," Ella finished, with a smirk.

Max stared at her, astounded. "Your point is?"

Ella shrugged. "I don't have one. I just thought I'd point out that you guys were really obvious. I personally don't care; it's not like making out is foreign to me."

"What'd you come here for?" I asked Ella, deliberately changing the subject.

Ella looked behind her nervously, and quickly shut the door. "Promise you won't tell anyone."

I nodded. "Of course."

"There's a mini fridge in Nudge's closet," Ella said. "We're borrowing it from Iggy's family."

"Fun," Max said. "So you're giving us permission to stage midnight snack raids with you?"

Ella shook her head. "Since Mom's birthday is in two days, Nudge, Angel, and I baked her two cakes a few days ago and it's a super long decorating process so we couldn't do it one day. Nudge was wondering if you guys wanted to help us decorate the cake, since you'll basically be Martinez kids for the next while."

"I'd love to, but I don't make food," Max said. "You saw me fumbling around in the kitchen."

"I did," Ella agreed. "So that's why Nudge and I will take care of the actual decorating. I was thinking that you guys could sign your names in icing on the Flock cake or something like that."

"I'm down," I said. "Wanna go over right now, Max?"

Ella shook her head. "Nudge is sleeping right now. We were planning on decorating tomorrow, since Mom will be neck-deep in paperwork she was planning to get done today."

"Sounds like a plan."

"I'll come get you guys when it's time," Ella assured us, brushing several strands of hair out of her eyes. "In the meantime, I'm gonna get some sleep. Good night! Nothing too spicy!"

* * *

Questions of the Chapter: Are you out of school yet? Are you going anywhere this summer?

I get out this Thursday! I can't wait to spend every day in the house, slacking off and getting nothing done. I'm not really looking forwards to next year...I hear the schoolwork load is a lot bigger.

I've just found out that I'm going to Los Angeles this summer! I'm so excited to see the city I've written so much about in this story! I'm also going to Georgia.


	64. Chapter 50: Part 1

Random Quote of the Week: _"Run, don't walk, the sky is falling through, don't talk tonight, I'm so confused, I'm lost, I'm lost with you," -Hey Monday, in "Run, Don't Walk"_

School is finally out for me! I'll probably spend the whole summer sleeping but that's better than doing homework I guess. I'll definitely have time to write, though, so I hope I can keep up once-a-week updates until the very end. If I'm counting correctly we have 10 more chapters to go after this one.

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Time to get up, sleepyhead."

I groaned and rolled over on the floor, opening my eyes. Ella stood above me, already dressed in a purple t-shirt with a large heart in the middle and jeans. "Mom and Dad are taking everyone to IHOP for breakfast after we pick up Angel," Ella said. "We've gone every Sunday morning for the past year. It's kind of a tradition."

"Uuurrrgh…" I muttered, slowly wiggling out of my Nudge-sized sleeping bag. I was forced to use a small one since the Martinezes had lost two of their three sleeping bags to a Flock camping trip during which Iggy and Gazzy accidentally burned a tent containing the sleeping bags to ashes while "cooking", aka running a crazy experiment in the wilderness. Ella wanted to take the sleeping bag and let me use the bed since she was an inch shorter than me and I hadn't gotten a bed to sleep in in my whole life, but there was no way I was going to let that happen.

I looked for Fang by my side, but he wasn't there. I'd gotten so used to sleeping with him, it felt oddly disappointing to wake up and not see him.

"It's six-thirty now," Ella told me. "Kinda early I know, but we gotta pick Angel, Iggy, and Gazzy up."

Sliding the sleeping bag off of me, I sat up and caught the clothes Ella threw at me. "Yours?" I asked her.

She nodded. "We'll get you some new clothes sometime, but for the time being these will do," Ella said.

I slid on the jeans and light blue t-shirt Ella tossed me and stood up.

"Max! Max! Maxmaxmaxmaxmax!" Nudge yelled outside the door, her voice faint but energetic. Nudge's footsteps in the hallway grew louder and louder as she drew closer. Several seconds later, the door flew open and Nudge came skipping in. "Oh, thank goodness you're up! Mom just wanted me to go make sure you were awake since we're going to go to the best restaurant in the world and we need to pick—"

"I already told her," Ella interrupted, ruffling Nudge's curly hair.

"Oh."

I yawned. "When are we leaving?"

"Right now," Fang answered, his face visible through the door as he looked up at us from the stairs. His voice sent a chill through my spine—in a good way. I speed-walked down the stairs and hugged Fang tightly, kissing his cheek. He embraced me back and ran a hand through my hair, careful not to upset our balance on the staircase.

After we broke apart, the girls and we put our shoes on at the front door.

"You need new shoes," Ella noticed. "It looks like you've run a thousand miles in those."

"More," I replied.

"My point exactly," Ella said, without looking up from her new purple-and-white Converses. "We'll get you a new pair when we find time to drag you to the mall and get you clothes."

I groaned. "Let's just go to the car."

* * *

Once we got to the hospital, Dr. Martinez, Fang, and Ella told Nudge and me that they were going to get Fang discharged. "Can you pick up a chicken noodle soup from the cafeteria for Angel?" Ella asked me, handing me a twenty-dollar bill. "And feel free to get what you'd like with the rest of the money, but keep in mind we're meeting Dad, Iggy, and Gazzy at IHOP soon."

"Will do," I told her. "Meet in the cafeteria once you're done?"

Ella shrugged. "Yeah, that's probably easiest," she said, following Dr. Martinez and Fang down the hallway to the elevator.

"Do you remember the way?" I asked Nudge, once they were gone.

"Hmm," she pondered. "I don't know. Let's just follow the signs, how about?"

"Sure, hopefully we can read them."

We roamed the hallways looking for cafeteria signs, but saw nothing but desks, rooms, rooms, and more rooms. The only signs led to elevators, restrooms, or fancy medical terminology only Ella would understand.

"You don't know where you're going, don't you?" I asked Nudge.

She shook her head. "No clue."

"Good, just checking," I muttered, staring down another eternally long hallway. I was good at remembering how to get to buildings in towns, but locations inside of buildings? I was anything _but _good.

Nudge and I kept walking, with Nudge staying silent for once. I guess the labyrinth of a hospital we were trying to navigate was so confusing, it rendered never-shut-up girl speechless.

At the center of yet another intersection, Nudge stopped and looked at me. "Max, I think we should ask someone. I mean, like, they all know where to go here and we're kind of just walking around like we're in the mall and we're not finding—"

"We're fine," I said. "It's just a hospital, how hard can it be to find a humongous cafeteria?"

Nudge sighed, but didn't respond for once. We continued walking around for another forty-five minutes, reaching several dead ends in the process, before Nudge finally ran to the nearest security guard. "Hey! Where's the cafeteria at? My friend and I have been looking—"

I tuned Nudge out, feeling bad for the security guard. Apparently all it took was a security guard to turn Nudge back into herself.

Several seconds later, Nudge returned to me. "The cafeteria is in the other building," she said. "We've been wasting our time."

I groaned and sat down on one of the benches conveniently placed by the door we were blocking. "You're kidding me."

"Nope! But let's go, Max! Ellie Bear is probably already waiting and they're probably concerned since we took so long and got nowhere and just wasted an hour of our time and we could've just asked someone sooner but—"

"Okay," I cut in. "Let's go."

* * *

"Max! Nudge!" Ella cried, watching us enter the cafeteria. "What took you guys so long? We were so concerned."

"We got lost," I explained simply.

Fang raised his eyebrows. "Did you not see that sign over there?" he asked, pointing to a ten-foot-wide glowing sign above the door that read _CAFETERIA._

"We were looking in the main building the whole time," I said.

"Oh, that explains it," Ella said. "Anyways, we got the soup. Ready to go?" she asked.

"Wait," I asked. "Where's Angel?"

"Right here," Fang said, turning around. Angel was draped over one of his shoulders, her eyes closed. She looked pretty good, though—if I didn't know better, I wouldn't have been able to tell she was sick.

"Dad, Iggy, and Gazzy just arrived at IHOP," Dr. Martinez announced.

"Let's go," Ella announced.

* * *

"Damn, this is the stuff," Fang said, between bites of his once-six-inch-tall stack of pancakes.

I wiped a glob of syrup off my mouth. "Thanks a ton for taking us, Dr. Martinez," I said. "This is the first time I've eaten at a restaurant in, well, forever."

"My pleasure, Max. If Ella hasn't told you yet, we do this every week so you'll get a chance to sample the whole menu in case you haven't fallen in love with the pancakes yet," she replied.

"I think I'm already hooked on the pancakes," I admitted. "They're _seriously _good stuff. I just wish Angel could have some too…" I trailed off, eyeing Angel, who was sitting with her shoulders slumped in the corner of our booth, slowly scooping spoons of her chicken noodle soup.

"Don't worry about her," Dr. Martinez said. "Angel comes with us every week, so she's no stranger to pancakes."

Even though Angel's eyes were glazed over and her movements lifeless, I still recognized the all-smiles mind reader inside of her. I knew no disease could keep Angel contained. Even though she just had the flu, the doctors told Dr. Martinez that it was one of the most serious flus that the hospital had seen in the past decade. They referred to it as an "uncommon flu", given its severity.

Once everyone finished, Iggy stood up. "Anyone want some ice cream? It's on me."

Everyone except Dr. Martinez and Mr. Martinez stood up. "We'll bring a carton home for you," Ella assured Angel. "Coming, parents?"

The Martinez seniors shook their head in unison. "I have a stack of office papers to fill out," Dr. Martinez said.

"I'm meeting some old friends for a get-together," Mr. Martinez told us.

"Well, have fun," Ella said, as the Flock flocked out of the restaurant.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: I'll tell you now there's one more major plot twist in the story, any guesses to as what it is? 50 bucks says nobody gets it.

Since it's the real Chapter 50 now, if anyone has any random questions for me I'll answer them next chapter! They can be as embarrassing or crazy as you'd like, I'll still answer them.

Please don't forget to review!


	65. Chapter 50: Part 2

Random Quote of the Week: _"Keep me inside the pocket of your ripped jeans" -Ed Sheeran, in "Lego House"_

Question time!

**Maxine**: Do you kinda have a crush on fang?

Nope.

**shatteredglass109**: Have u ever pulled an Iggy and blew up something?

Umm...not really. Well, in science class but not at home or anything. By the way, I love your username :D

**BiteMeBro552: **Is my school the only school still in school?

Probably.

**ZipUnZipIt:** Are you legitimately scared of all these random death threats you've been getting? I've read some of them and they freak ME out, and they're not even directed at me...

Honestly I'm not, although I'm touched by how much you guys try to scare me. :P After what's felt like a million so far, I get used to it I guess. And about updates, I've updated once a week since the beginning without fail. :)

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Now's the time," Ella announced to us, as we sat down on the carpet of the room Ella and I shared. "The adults are gone."

"Can't your mom come downstairs in the middle of her paperwork?" Fang pointed out. "We'd never have time to put everything away."

Ella waved her hand. "No problem. She never takes breaks from her work. She'll be up there for ten hours if that's how long it takes to finish her stuff."

"What about your dad, can't he come home early?" Gazzy, who had been uncharacteristically quiet today, asked.

Ella shrugged. "I guess so. If that happens, we'll have to get him in on the surprise."

"The more, the merrier, right?" Iggy said.

"Actually, think we can do it in Nudge's and Angel's room?" I asked. "We can lock the doors there."

"I guess that would work," Ella said, nodding. "It would suck to have to clean the carpet, though, in case anyone spills icing."

"We won't need to," Gazzy said. "You kept the cardboard box we gave the fridge to you in, right?"

"Did we?" Ella asked, looking at Nudge.

She nodded vigorously. "Yup! It's right here," Nudge said, reaching into the back of the closet and producing a flattened cardboard box. "Should we go upstairs and paint the sides of it with pink nail polish! Eek! That'll look so cool! Hmm, but if it's not dry it might get in the cake and that won't be—"

"—very tasty, we know," Gazzy interrupted, earning a slap from his ex-girlfriend.

"Anyways, as I was saying, that sounds like a great idea," Ella said. "I'll go get the icing and utensils. None of you guys touch the cakes until I get back!"

As Ella disappeared down the hallway, Nudge opened the refrigerator. "Let's take them out! You have to see them, Maxness and Fangster! We spent forever baking them but it's so worth it because we wanted to make something super duper special for mommy! The icing is gonna—"

"Didn't Ella say not to take them out?" Iggy interrupted. He said it in an advisory tone, tilting his chin up, but we all knew why he was carrying out his fiancée's orders—he was afraid of facing Ella's wrath should the cakes have been ruined.

Nudge rolled her eyes. "Please. It's not like we're going to ruin them," she said, placing one of the large opaque brown cake boxes on the cardboard. She opened the box and removed the cake.

Besides the gold-print non-corrugated cardboard bottom keeping the cake from touching the box, it looked awfully like what a ten-year-old would pick out for their birthday. Beneath the colorful birthday icing balloons, the cake was iced plain white and was an…

"Ice cream cake, since Mom loves ice cream," Nudge said. "Fang? Are you listening?"

"Yeah?" he replied, looking over and nodding before whispering something in Angel's ear. She sat beside him, slightly away from the group, leaning on his shoulder for support.

Nudge seemed to understand, giving him a quick nod before turning back to Iggy, Gazzy, and me. "So! Ella wanted us to decorate this one however we flipping want to and write our names on it and stuff. I'll let her bring out the super fancy chocolate one, since she worked forever on it and it would be horrible if the cake got ruined."

"Wouldn't it be, Nudge? Didn't I say not to take the cakes out?" Ella said, standing at the door, a nine-inch-long knife brandished in her hand.

Nudge's eyes widened. "Eek!" she squealed, scurrying behind me.

Ella laughed, sliding the knife into the brown paper bag slung on her shoulder. "Just kidding. Anyways, everything's in here," she said, sitting down beside us and turning the bag upside down. Three tubs of icing, several wads of plastic, and an assortment of long, sharp utensils poured onto the white carpet.

"What's this for?" I asked, handing Ella one of the crumpled-up sheets of clear plastic.

"Watch and learn, young one," she replied, straightening it out. She pried it open on one end, opened the container of blue icing, and used a spoon to heap large globs of it into the conical piece of plastic. Ella then proceeded to squeeze the wide end of the cone until a trickle of icing emerged from the point.

"Whoa, is that for decorating?" I asked.

Ella nodded. "Works like a charm," she said, writing her name in cursive on the cake. "You try now."

"Do you have any other colors?" I asked her.

Ella held up the two other containers. "Yellow and red."

"Can I use the red?"

She nodded. "Just be careful not to get it on the carpet."

"Yeah, please do!" Nudge chimed in, nodding vigorously so her curly brown hair bounced off her back. "I don't want my carpet to look like Ford's Theatre!"

"What?" I asked. "Is that an inside joke?"

"You've forgotten everything you've learned in history class already?" Ella asked, staring at me. "Ford's Theatre is where Abraham Lincoln was murdered. Nudge is doing a unit in her summer History review on famous murders, and for some reason she likes talking about it."

"Oh," I said, nodding. "Okay."

Ella waved her hand. "Forget it. Here's another decorating tube," she said, tossing me a wad of plastic.

I straightened it out and lumped a wad of red icing on it.

"No!" Nudge cried. "You put it inside the tube!"

"Oops." I lifted the plastic off the ground, but my thumb slipped on the glossy plastic and the clump of red icing rolled right onto the white carpet below.

"Maaaaax!" Nudge screamed, her eyes wide as she scrambled to lift the icing off the carpet.

"Sorry!" I apologized, hopping up to get a towel from the bathroom as I heard Iggy and Gazzy rolling on the ground in laughter behind me. On my way out, I tripped over Fang's leg and my head slammed into the door, sending a burst of pain shooting through my head.

"Calm down, Max," Ella said, offering me a hand up. "Rushing won't help anything."

I took a deep breath before accepting Ella's hand and pulling myself up. As I turned to the door, I felt Ella's hand on my shoulder.

"Stay here, Max. Nudge and I got this."

I shook my head. "I want to help. It was my fault anyways."

"I don't mean to sound rude," Ella said, "but you've done enough already. You can get back to decorating as soon as we clean this up."

I nodded, sitting down on the carpet as Nudge and Ella left the room.

"That was golden, Max," Gazzy told me, laughing. "Nudge's face…"

"Hey, Gazzy," Iggy said. "What if we took out the chocolate cake too? That would be priceless…"

"Don't do it," I warned him. "Ella will be pissed."

Iggy stared at me, probably debating whether his fiancé's expression would be worth the consequences. "Nah, she'll get over it."

Cackling, Gazzy opened the fridge and slid the shiny silver box out. He eyed me warily, as if I was about to stop him. He set his hand on the cover. Just as he was about to lift it, Ella and Nudge walked in the room.

"Everybody—Gazzy, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Ella screamed, uncharacteristically. "Hands off, right now!"

Gazzy immediately scooted backwards, knocking Iggy into the wall with a muffled_ THUD_.

"Ow," Iggy complained, rubbing his back. "Your walls are hard."

"That's what you get for letting Gazzy do this stuff," Ella told him.

"It was his idea," Gazzy said. "He just wasn't man enough to do it."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Gimme a break, Iggy. Did I really agree to put up with this the rest of my life?" she said, to no one in particular. "Anyways, while Nudge and I get cleaning, you can finish your decorations, Max. Help her, boys, and help her _right._"

"Okay, okay!" Iggy said, putting his hands up.

I wiped the icing off the plastic cone with a napkin before filling it up with new red icing—correctly. I poised it over the cake, trying to decide what to write. "Any suggestions, guys?" I asked Iggy and Gazzy.

"Yeah! What about something like, _I am Maximum Ride, the greatest being in the universe_?" Gazzy offered.

I stuck my tongue at him. "No deal. I'll just do _Max._"

"Aww, you're boring," Gazzy complained.

I experimentally drew a line on the face of the cake, and the crumpled plastic sheet was surprisingly easy to use. I quickly wrote my name in print, and drew wings on the sides of the "M".

"Fang, wanna sign?" I asked him, turning around. I was a little worried about him; he hadn't said anything for a while. His arm still rested loosely around Angel, who was leaning against his shoulder.

"Later," he replied, looking me in the eyes.

I nodded. "Okay." I didn't press him—it was perfectly understandable that he wanted to spend a little time in his own world with Angel after all that had happened. "Another room?" I asked him.

Fang nodded quickly. "Ella?"

She whipped around, handing Nudge her rag. "Yes?"

"Mind if Angel and I spend a little time alone somewhere else?"

Ella nodded immediately. "Of course."

Fang whispered something in his sister's ear before slowly standing up. With Fang's help, Angel managed to stand as well, and both of them walked out of the room.

"Anything wrong with them?" Ella asked me. "Or just…sibling stuff?"

"Sibling stuff, I bet. Fang was just fine at IHOP. Everything's probably just sinking in now for the guy," I replied.

Ella nodded. "I gotcha," she said. "I feel kind of bad that I haven't been paying Angel enough attention today. It's like I forgot that I'm still her big sister even if Fang's here."

"It's probably still setting in for you, too," I told her. "Just remember that Fang hasn't seen her in a month, so it's a lot to take in for even a guy like him."

Ella shrugged. "That's true."

"And he admitted about two weeks ago that he hadn't thought of Angel much. He felt badly about it too."

"Is that because he was so in love with you he couldn't think of anything else?" Ella said, raising her eyebrows.

"I guess only he knows." I laughed, and Ella started giggling soon after. At that moment, I felt so _connected _with Ella that I refused to believe that we'd met for just the third time yesterday.

* * *

"Whoa, that looks amazing," I muttered, twirling several strands of hair between my fingers. Looking at the elaborate webbing design Ella had drawn on the edges of the cake, I could imagine her stitching someone together as a surgeon. She had a natural talent for precision with her hands.

Ella looked up from the ornate dark brown chocolate cake adorned with interwoven threads of black icing and smiled. "Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Nudge, do you mind asking Mom when she'll be done? It would definitely look suspicious if we walked down with our hands full of utensils while she's cooking dinner."

"Yep!" Nudge agreed, hopping up with such energy that she may as well have eaten both cakes already.

"Great. We're almost done, guys!" Ella exclaimed. "As soon as I finish icing the outside of this chocolate mousse cake and Fang and Angel sign the Flock cake, we'll be good to go."

"Mom's birthday is tomorrow, right?" I asked her. "I mean, _your_ mom's birthday."

Ella nodded. "We'll just store the cakes in the fridge here, and bring them in a cooler to whichever restaurant she wants to eat at. We always eat out on birthdays, and the whole Flock goes," she said, gently placing the cake in its cardboard box.

"Guys!" Nudge yelled, bursting into the room with thundering footsteps. I half-expected Ella to flinch and mess up the cake, but her steel nerves developed via thirteen years of living with Nudge won out. Ella didn't even blink as her Nudge landed roughly on the carpet beside her. "Mom said she has another three hours of work."

"Okay, great!" Ella replied. "Wanna help wash these utensils?" she asked me, stuffing everything into a plastic bag.

I nodded. "If you're willing to put up with me, then I'm in."

Ella laughed. "All master dishwashers have to start somewhere."

"That's definitely one of my life goals, to become a world-class dishwasher." I waved my hand. "To hell with that. I'd be bored to tears within two days."

Ella shrugged. "People learn just because someone's gotta do it, I guess. Nobody enjoys washing dishes, as far as I know."

"Whatever, that someone won't be me. I guess I'll make Fang do it when we grow up."

"Aww, you're already thinking about marriage?" Ella cooed.

I turned away from her slightly, running my fingers through the carpet. I hoped my face wasn't as red as it felt. I mean, I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but Fang, but it felt awfully early to think about marriage. "Um, who else would I think about living with?"

Ella laughed, throwing her arm around my shoulders. "Don't be ashamed, Max! I'm sure you'll end up marrying Fang and living happily after ever someday. He loves you to pieces, and I know you love him too. Now let's get downstairs and washing before mom sees us."

* * *

"Fang, is everything okay?" I asked, walking into his room. Save for dinner, neither Fang nor Angel had showed up after they disappeared during our cake decorating. I knew they needed time together, but I never understood how close a sibling bond was—probably because I'd never had one. Having a dog was nowhere near like having a sister.

He nodded, leaning back against the frame of his bed. "It's just a lot to take in, that's all."

I sat down on his bed and laced my fingers with his. "I love you," I blurted out.

Fang closed his eyes. "I love you too, Max."

Looking up at his chiseled face, his handsome features, I really wanted to kiss him right there but decided against it. It didn't feel right to focus on myself when Fang had bigger issues.

"Do you want me to go?" I asked him.

Fang shook his head subtly, squeezing my hand. "Just a little longer."

"I'll stay as long as you want me here," I told him, realizing he needed me to be strong for him. "I have nothing to do all night."

Fang took a deep breath, lying down on his back. I lay beside him, trying to focus on his expression but reading nothing for once. With Fang's hand still in mine, I closed my eyes, resting my head on Fang's fluffy pillow. I tried to stay awake, but Fang's breathing along with his soft bed quickly rocked me to sleep.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Do you think Max will get in trouble?


	66. Chapter 51

Random Quote of the Week: _"I dunno about you, but I'm feeling 22," -Taylor Swift, in "22"_

* * *

**Max's POV**

"Guys?" a voice said, snapping me awake.

My eyes flew open, and saw Dr. Martinez standing beside the bed. "Wha?"

She sighed. "Max, I separated you two for a reason. It's not that I don't trust you, I just don't like the idea of you sleeping in the same bed as Fang in my house, especially since you tend to sleep...rather close to each other"

I yawned. "Urrrgh—okay."

"Just don't let it happen again, please," she instructed me calmly, as if she ran into issues like this every day. "At any rate, breakfast is almost done downstairs."

"Be there in five," I said, watching Dr. Martinez walk out of the room. After she left, I turned and shook Fang awake. "Breakfast time," I told him.

He opened his eyes a crack. "Max?"

"Yeah, I fell asleep here last night. Anyways, Dr. Martinez has breakfast almost ready downstairs. She told us not to do this again."

I walked downstairs to the kitchen, where the girls and Dr. Martinez were waiting for me. Dr. Martinez, Ella, and Nudge were at the stove cooking breakfast, and Angel sat at the table with her head in her arms. She raised her head for a brief moment, yawned, and looked back down.

"Good morning, Max," Ella greeted me, with a smile. Her hair was brushed, and her features were attentive in a way that made it seem like she'd been awake for a while.

"Morning," I replied, sitting at the kitchen table.

"Sleep well?" she asked me, flipping a sizzling piece of bacon . "We missed you last night."

I shrugged. "Well enough. You?"

"Well, thanks for asking," she said, as all three Martinezes carried their pans to the table and dumped them on plates. Ella made bacon, Nudge cooked sausage, and Dr. Martinez scrambled several eggs.

I turned to Dr. Martinez. "Happy birthday. I just remembered."

"Thank you, Max. We're eating dinner at a Chinese place down the street, by the way."

"Sounds good, but I'm not thinking about dinner right now with a plate of bacon in front of me," I admitted.

Ella laughed. "I don't blame you."

"Ella's the best person in the whole wide world at making bacon!" Nudge suddenly exlcaimed, impaling a piece with her fork. "When she cooks it's all, like, crispy and stuff and mmm, it's sooo good."

I turned to Dr. Martinez. "What's with your family of early birds? I don't do 'enthusiastic' at eight in the morning."

"What about Fang?" Ella pointed out. "Before he left, he always woke up at six."

"Yeah, but he doesn't do 'enthusiastic', period," I replied.

Dr. Martinez chuckled. "Fair enough. You can start eating, by the way. We're not picky about eating breakfast all together in this house."

After Fang came downstairs and we ate breakfast, Ella called for a kids-only meeting in her room. "Here's the plan," she said. "We're going to load the cakes and candles into a paper grocery bag, and Dad will say he got cake from the supermarket. If we keep the bag under the table while we eat, mom will never suspect a thing."

"Do Iggy and Gazzy know?" Fang asked. He sat next to Angel, his right arm around her tightly. He ruffled Angel's shoulder-length blonde hair with his free hand.

Ella nodded. "I told them this morning. They'll walk over here this evening, then we'll go."

"Sounds good," I replied. "Do we have a plan for the day until then?"

"Not really," she said. "Do any of you guys want to do something? Iggy and Gazzy are working on a project for my mom, but I can drive you guys now that I'm eighteen."

"Wait, when did you turn eighteen?" Fang asked her.

"August eighteenth, a week ago."

"Same here, Ella," I said. "I turned eighteen on the same day."

Ella raised her eyebrows. "No wonder you feel like my twin sister. Happy belated birthday!"

"You too!" I replied. "What did you do to celebrate?"

"We just ate out for dinner. I'm not a big birthday person, but the Flock wouldn't let me refuse their gifts. Did you and Fang do anything for your birthday?"

"Yeah, Fang surprised me with a cupcake, which we split."

Ella laughed. "Aww, that's too cute. You two are perfect for each other."

I felt my face redden slightly. "Any ideas for what to do today?"

* * *

It turned out that nobody really felt like doing anything, so we all spent the whole day noodling around in the house. Nudge had a brilliant idea of sledding down the grassy hill beside the house, but one bruised shoulder later she gave up the idea. Fang and Angel still weren't talking much, and spent pretty much every second of the day together just like yesterday. Meanwhile, Ella tried to teach me how to cook some basic breakfast dishes, like scrambled eggs and toast.

"It's pretty easy," Ella said, smiling slightly as she took a small wooden spoon and stirred the egg in a circle, breaking it up. "You try it."

I took the spoon from her. "Is this how you do it?" I asked, scraping the spoon across the bottom of the pan.

Ella shook her head, taking the spoon back and quickly stirring the eggs back and forth. "No, you have to _scramble _the eggs, hence its name. Dragging the spoon across the bottom doesn't do anything."

"What does that mean?" I asked. I mean, "Scramble the eggs" wasn't the most exact command.

"Well, you know what scrambling means, right?"

"I guess so?" I replied tentatively. Of course I'd heard the word before, but I had no idea what it meant in cooking. "My brain is pretty scrambled."

"Just think of what happens to your brain, and do it to the eggs." Ella stuck out her tongue. "That sounded better in my head," she said, pausing. "Anyways, this batch is done already. Scrambled eggs are really quick to make."

"I think I'm more of an eater than a chef," I said plainly.

Ella laughed. "Aren't we all?" she said, carrying the pan to the table and dumping the eggs onto a plate. She handed me a fork. "Now it's your time to shine, Max."

"Very funny, Ella," I remarked, sitting down at the kitchen table. "Pass the salt?"

"It's right in front of you," she reminded me. "You almost just knocked it over with your arm."

"Right," I said. "Maybe eating isn't even for me?"

* * *

"Happy birthday, Doctor Martinez!" Iggy whooped, opening the door to the house. Apparently he was trusted to the point of having his own key to the Martinez house. I'd never understand why, but I guess Flock dynamics were still beyond me.

"She's showering upstairs, Iggles," Ella told him, standing up. "We'll leave whenever she's done."

"Right," Iggy said. "Are the cakes in the car yet?"

She shook her head. "We should probably do that right now."

The three of us plus Gazzy walked upstairs and packed the cakes into a paper bag. Just as we stepped onto the staircase, Dr. Martinez emerged from her room. "Hello, Iggy. Nice to see you!"

"Happy birthday, Doctor!" he replied, giving her a hug.

"Thank you, Iggy," she said, when he pulled away. "What's in the paper bag, Ella?"

"This?" she asked, holding the bag up. "Your birthday cake."

I stared at her, thinking she just blew the surprise. However, the barely perceptible wink Ella gave Iggy and me told me that she knew what she was doing.

"Any particular reason why it's upstairs?" Dr. Martinez said. "I'm just curious, that's all."

Ella glared at Iggy. "This guy here tried to sneak a slice of the cake Dad got," she explained, keeping a straight face. "Max and I caught him as he tried to escape into Fang's room."

"Sorry," Iggy said quickly. "They just looked so good."

I had never eaten Chinese food before except for the one time in Los Angeles, so as soon as we sat down at the restaurant bustling with people I asked the Flock for recommendations.

"Kung Pao Chicken," Iggy said. "Best dish in the world except for bacon."

"Oh, no way," Gazzy interjected. "Sesame Beef is way better."

"Are you guys, like, kidding me?" Nudge chimed in. "The General Tso's Tofu here is the best thing in the world."

Ella looked at me, smiling as she sighed. "They always order different stuff. Just get anything on the menu, everything here is pretty good."

I nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."I chose a spicy shrimp dish, and Fang ordered Kung Pao Chicken per Iggy's suggestion. Even though I had never eaten at a restaurant like this before, I expected it to take years for the food to come with almost all of the tables occupied. However, to my surprise and hungry stomach's delight, the food came pretty quickly. As soon as I saw the dish, my mouth began to water. A layer of brown sauce covered the stack of shrimp in the middle of the plate.

"Bon appetit, folks!" Iggy announced, before attacking his chicken with a fork.

"Don't rush like he does," Ella told me, eyeing her fiancée. "Take as long as you'd like; we have all night."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, digging into my shrimp.

I'd like to think I took my time and ate in a civilized manner, but when I looked up after finishing my meal, Iggy wasn't even done yet.

"Damn, Max," Gazzy remarked. "I've never seen anyone finish a full meal before my brother in my life."

"Consider it seen," I replied, wiping my mouth on the cloth napkin provided. I looked over at Fang, and while he didn't have his characteristic mysterious glint in his eye, he was talking to Nudge, Angel, and Mr. Martinez while laughing. I smiled, getting the feeling that Fang would be back to normal before long.

"Ready for cake, everyone?" Ella said, once everyone was finished eating. Even though she was the exact same age as me, she didn't look out of place at all sitting next to the adults. She wore khakis, unlike the other kids who wore jeans, and her face had the calm and collected vibe to it characteristic of adults.

Dr. Martinez nodded. "Let's bring it out now."

Ella set both cakes on the table and opened the tops to reveal the cakes we spent yesterday preparing.

Dr. Martinez's jaw dropped slightly. "This isn't—"

Just then, the "55"candles on both cakes sizzled and their wicks spontaneously caught on fire.

"One, two, three!" Iggy yelled, counting the numbers on his fingers.

"Happy birthday to you," we began, but soon enough the rest of the restaurant joined in. By the time we finished the song, the restaurant felt like a Taylor Swift concert with all the applause that ensued.

"I—how—you kids are the best!" Dr. Martinez managed, looking at each of us in turn.

"Happy birthday, mother!" Ella yelled, barely heard over the noise that was just now dying down. She passed a knife to her mom, who cut the cakes and gave everyone a slice of each.

"To many more birthdays!" Dr. Martinez cried, raising her glass of water. A chaotic toast ensued around the table, involving several spilled glasses, but all we saw was a beautiful celebration, not the extra work the waiters would be doing.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Which MR book is your favorite? And have you read Forever?

Mine will always be SO:F, and MAX, Nevermore, and TFW are my next three in that order.

I still haven't read Forever yet...hurry up library and get it in stock! If they don't get it by the end of summer, I'll probably just go buy it. Until then, no spoilers or else Max dies :P


	67. Chapter 52

Random Quote of the Week: _"So you can keep me inside the pocket of your ripped jeans," -Ed Sheeran, in "Photograph"_

* * *

**Max's POV**

For the first time in days, I woke up on my own accord. I groggily noticed that Ella was gone from the room, but seeing as she didn't wake me up I rolled over and went back to sleep until the sunlight filtering through the large windows forced me to wake up.

Even though I hadn't gotten any proper clothing yet, Ella told me I was welcome to help myself from her closet. She was an inch or two shorter than me, but I could wear her clothes just fine. I threw on a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt before heading downstairs. I saw the flock gathered in the living room, watching TV.

"Good morning, Max," Dr. Martinez told me reading the Tuesday paper, as I took my place at the kitchen table. "We all ate breakfast at seven, but there are plenty of eggs and sausages still on the stove."

"Mm-kay," I replied. "Anything I'm needed for today?"

Dr. Martinez shook her head. "No. But I'd like to talk to you and Fang privately once I get back from work, if it's okay with you. I'd normally be there already, but one of my co-workers came in early so I'm doing the afternoon shift."

"No problem," I said, dumping a pan of room-temperature eggs onto my plate. I had no right to complain, though—I was lucky there was any food left at all three hours after the meal. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing too major," she said, frowning slightly, which suggested it was actually something pretty major. "Just a few things to sort out, that's all."

"Okay." I strolled over to the couch and plopped myself down next to Fang. "What's up, people?"

"The sleepyhead finally wakes," Iggy announced.

"How the hell are you here before me, if I sleep in this house?" I blurted out.

Iggy laughed. "Gazzy and I kinda live here too. I mean, what am I supposed to do for the next two weeks before my college starts?"

"I don't know, maybe get a job?" I said.

"I tried that already. You know how that turned out," Iggy replied with a chuckle.

I cut a sausage in half. "If you can't hold down a job at the coffee shop, how will you make enough money when you grow up to keep Ella around?"

Both of them laughed. "You're awfully slow, Max. If you haven't realized, Ella's going to be the one working while I stay home and cook and sleep," Iggy explained, swiping a piece of egg from my plate.

"Well, excuse me if I didn't expect Ella to fall for a guy who can't carry his own weight in the household," I retorted, causing Ella to bury her face in a couch pillow in hysterical laughter. I was joking, of course—Iggy was one of the nicest guys I knew. Millions of girls would kill to be Ella.

"What's with the sass, Maxie?" Iggy asked, running a hand through his grown-out blonde hair while eyeing his fiancée. "You know the saying, 'A little laziness goes a long way'?"

I shook my head. "That's a stupid saying. I've never heard of it."

Iggy laughed. "No wonder, because I came up with it. It's a procrastinator's version of 'work smart, not hard'. Don't worry about us, Maxie. We'll find a way to survive."

"As in Ella carrying your butt through life," I muttered under my breath. Audibly, I said, "I'm sure you will."

"Please, Max," Iggy said, rolling his eyes at me. "I heard everything you said, by the way. People say I can hear whispers like hawks can see birdkill."

"Is birdkill even a word?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Did I ever say it was?"

I stared at him. "No, but when you use something in a sentence it's pretty much assumed that it's a word."

Iggy waved his hand. "I'm a chef, not an English teacher. Anyways, do you guys wanna do anything today? I heard you guys stayed in yesterday."

"We should show Max some of the cool stuff in Phoenix," Ella volunteered. "This week is her first time here."

"It's forecasted to rain today, so that might not be the best idea," Fang said, speaking for the first time today.

"Oh, that sucks," Ella said. "Actually, I thought of something. You guys still haven't filled us in on the story of your adventures."

"We've shared the important parts," I told her. "If you want me to say, "we woke up, we got food, we wasted time, and we went to bed" over and over, be my guest."

"I know you guys did that, but didn't you do things to keep yourselves entertained while you were still falling in love?"

I shrugged. "I guess so."

"Spill," she ordered.

* * *

Two hours and countless stories later, everybody was sitting on the floor because they had fallen off the couch in laughter. Even the kids had turned off the television to listen to Fang and me tell about the dumb stuff we did. Everyone particularly liked the story of me and the janitor in McDonalds when I pretty much ruined her evening.

"You guys should put your adventures in a novel," Ella suggested. "Write about everything you guys did."

"Who would ever want to read that?" I asked her. "All it'd be is a couple idiots running around California."

"You'd be surprised," Ella told me. "I think a lot of people would read it."

I shrugged. "That would be fun to try, if Fang or I could write to save our lives."

* * *

"Max and Fang, is now a good time?" Dr. Martinez asked us, as Fang and I walked up the stairs to go to bed. It was almost midnight, and we had just finished watching a movie downstairs.

"As good as any," Fang replied. She must've warned him, too, this morning. "Where do you want to talk?"

"My room right here works. It'll be quick, I promise."

We followed Dr. M down the hallway into her room, and sat down at the chairs positioned by the far wall.

"Kids," she began, setting her arms on the large, fluffy armrests lining her dark brown wooden rocking chair. "I know you've only been here a few days, and you might not have thought about it yet, but as of now do you think you'll run away again? It's okay if you don't have an answer now, but with the school year coming up soon I'd like to know your plans sometime soon so I can coordinate mine with yours."

Fang and I immediately looked at each other, our eyes conveying nothing but confusion and surprise. After a long moment, Fang turned to Dr. Martinez. "I don't think we're sure yet. Would it be alright if we talked it over and got back to you tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course that's okay," she replied. "I also want to let you know that I'll support you two, whatever you choose to do."

"Thanks," I said. "We'll definitely think about giving you the least trouble."

Dr. Martinez waved her hand. "Oh no, I'm happy to help support you guys. It's just that I need to know how I can help, that's all. My schedule is being restructured, and with no personal preferences I'll do my best to make time for you two."

"It's really okay," Fang said. "For our sakes as well as yours, we'll try to move out on our own as soon as possible, with all strings attached. Even though you're like a mom to us, we can't live under your wing forever."

She shrugged. "At any rate, I'd like to know what you're planning before I make any more decisions. I think I'll leave it at that for tonight," she said, standing up. "Just remember that I'll support you no matter what. Good night!"

Just as we walked out the door, a brown, wooden wall clock above the laundry room caught my eye. I'd always had trouble reading analog clocks, but I could tell the time right now—it was midnight.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Should they stay or should they go? And, if they run away again, where do you want them to go?

Please don't forget to review!


	68. Chapter 53: Part 1

Random Quote of the Week: "Stand in the rain, stand your ground, stand up when it's all crashing down, you stand through the pain, you won't drown, and one day what's lost can be found" -Superchick, in "Stand in the Rain"

Amazing song, I've been addicted to it for the past week. If you haven't listened to it, open up a new tab right now and check it out :P It's simple yet one of the most inspiring songs I've ever heard.

And I just got back from Los Angeles! It was a lot of fun, the city was actually a lot nicer than I imagined it. I went surfing with my cousins and as much as I tried I couldn't manage to stand on the board without sliding off xD

* * *

**Max's POV**

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring out the window into the night. Even in Phoenix, a busy city with lots of light pollution, I could see hundreds of bright stars, glittering against the vast black sky. Every so often, a blinking red light would cross the black dome—the light of an airplane. I imagined flying next to the plane, my hair streaking behind me as my wings glided through the darkness. Just thinking about it, I longed to leap out of the window, learn how to fly, and ascend into the atmosphere with Fang by my side.

I sighed, knowing my dreams of flight would never come to pass. Even if by some miracle I could afford a plane ticket one day, flying inside a man-made vessel was a far cry from flying with my own wings, each movement sending me soaring upwards or tailing towards the ground. I was no fan of the cold, but the liberating feeling of wind blowing by my face was something I could get used to.

As I fantasized about flying, my thoughts wandered to the Flock. Why were they named the Flock, again? If I remember correctly, it was because Angel had a dream of all of them flying. I pictured them slicing through the night, in a V-shaped formation behind me. The funny thing was, when I closed my eyes I could easily imagine it happening. It felt like if we somehow got wings, we wouldn't miss a beat in adapting to an Avian-American lifestyle. People would be left to wonder why a group of bird kids were soaring over the west coast, but staying on the run was nothing new to me. I could imagine all of us being winged runaways-in-crime.

Except Ella. I tried to think of her with large tan wings like Iggy's, but I just couldn't picture her flying. She was far too down-to-earth and grounded. Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel, however, were much more free-spirited and easy to picture as winged kids.

My eyes traced the path of an airplane, this one flying particularly high. As it disappeared from my view, I heard a knock on the door behind me.

"Max?" Fang called, his voice muffled by the large wooden door between us.

"Come in," I said, turning around and setting my legs on my bed.

Fang walked into my room and plopped himself down next to me, causing the mattress springs to squeak. He must've been tired, since he was usually pretty smooth. "About what Dr. Martinez said," he said. "Wanna talk about it now or later?"

I took a deep breath, blinking a few times. "Later."

"Okay, that's fine," he said. "And I know we haven't talked about this in forever, but what do you think of getting a DNA test now that we're here?"

"Sure," I replied, shrugging. "Nothing to lose, I guess."

"Okay, we can ask Dr. Martinez tomorrow. Oh, and Max, if you're not too tired, I have an idea."

"I'll survive. What are you planning?" I asked, brushing my hair out of my face.

Taking my hand, Fang's eyes slowly flickered between me and the window. "It's been almost a month since we went stargazing near Los Angeles," he said. "The house has a flat roof, and we can climb there from the deck easily. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I hopped off my bed, not even looking back at Fang. "Hell yes."

* * *

After getting Dr. Martinez's permission, we walked up the stairs to the wooden deck behind the house. To my surprise, it extended a good twenty feet beyond the end of the house and was adorned with potted plants circling the two picnic tables and grill occupying the center. Even though it wasn't too cold outside, the wind had really picked up—my shirt sleeves rippled in the wind, and my scalp, still damp from showering, sent shivers through my body occasionally. Even though I'd never been here before, for some reason the setting felt familiar.

"Dr. Martinez said that she got this deck custom-made for this house," Fang explained, as we climbed up the wooden boards strategically placed and engineered for easy roof access. "She knew that they'd be at home a lot, and every summer we all came here for dinner several times a week."

As I set my feet on the final wooden brace, I realized why this felt familiar—the day Fang and I confessed to each other, I climbed a tree in the wind just like this. I smiled, realizing that the only thing preventing me from being happy last time was the reason why I was happy now.

We walked across the roof and sat down against the chimney. I leaned my head against Fang's shoulder, feeling the soft, blue, wool sweater he had borrowed from Iggy. The view of the night sky was far better here than it was in my room, since I could see all around me, and the wind whistling by my ears really got me in the mood—I wasn't sure what exactly about it I liked, but it made me feel like I was a part of the great outdoors.

Fang reached into the pocket in his sweater and pulled out a small book. "This is the one I told you about the day after we met," he explained. "It's straightforward and easy to use, and it has a ton of constellations that I couldn't point out otherwise."

"How do we use it?" I asked.

Fang flipped through a few pages and held the book out for me to see. "This is the summer star map for the Northern Hemisphere. That way is north," Fang said, pointing down the starlit cul-de-sac. "So we hold the book in that direction."

Using the star map, I was able to locate the Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major, in the northwest. It turned out that locating stars was easier than I expected—with both Fang and me looking, we found every visible constellation. I'd half-expected us to find nothing, with so many stars in the sky, but the star map pointed us exactly in the right direction.

"We're still missing two stars." Fang set the book down on the roof.

"What? I thought that was everything."

"Don't worry, I'm looking at them right now," he said, looking at me.

I stared at him. Suddenly, realizing what he meant, I burst out laughing. "Please, Fang. That's _so _cliché."

He shrugged. "Since when did that matter?" he asked, leaning forwards and kissing me. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling, as I kissed him back. For the first time since we arrived in Phoenix, I felt like a runaway rebel again, through and through.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What is your favorite activity Max and Fang do? (Very open-ended, I'm just curious)

Guess what guys?

...

...

I finally read Forever! I needed something to do on the five-hour plane ride to Los Angeles, so I went and got Forever on my kindle. I don't wanna give any spoilers on here in case some people haven't read it, but needless to say I was pretty happy with it. In the beginning I was disappointed with quite a few things, but by the end it turned out pretty well. If anyone wants to talk about it just tell me since I have a lot to say about it and do need to vent, I just don't wanna risk spoiling anything important. And thank you all for not spoiling anything for me :) I really appreciate it!


	69. Chapter 53: Part 2

Random Quote of the Week: _"Safe inside myself are all my thoughts of you, sweet raptured life, it ends here tonight" -Evanescence, in "My Last Breath"_

I say this every chapter but I really really love that song!

I'd like to take a quick moment to thank **Tokoloshe Monster **for her hard work in beta-ing my chapters :)

And 1300 reviews! Gracias, cam on, and thank you :D (Thank you in all the languages I know)

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"I know it's been a while since you talked to us about this, but would it still be possible to get a DNA test sometime?" I asked Dr. Martinez, after everyone but us and Max had left the breakfast table.

"Sure, if you'd like we can stop in at the office real quick today. Mr. Griffiths has a close connection with a nearby lab, so we should know within three days if Max's genes match anyone else in the lab," she replied.

"Today works," Max said. "Just curious, but are we going to your office or his?"

"I think his would be better," Dr. Martinez told us. "The doctors there are more experienced in the area."

"One more thing. This is kind of far-fetched but what do you think of a dog living here?" Max asked.

Dr. Martinez leaned forwards, her eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean by that? Would you like to adopt one?"

Max shook her head, her eyes flitting between Dr. Martinez and the ceiling. I stared at her, confused, until she looked over at me. Right then, I understood what Max meant. And the implications.

"Max, are you sure about this?" I asked, standing up.

She nodded, closing her eyes. "A hundred percent sure. It's been long enough."

"Want me to leave the kitchen now?"

Max shrugged. "If you really wanna stay I guess I can't stop you."

I straightened my jeans that had gotten flattened while sitting down. "Meet you in the living room whenever you're done."

* * *

"How'd it go?" I asked Max, as she entered the family room. Sunlight streamed through the windows, setting the white leather couch aglow.

Max nodded, smiling. "We're leaving in a few days; Iggy's taking me."

"I assume you don't want me to come along?"

Max swallowed. "Um…would you mind coming?" she asked.

"What do you think, Maxie?"

She laughed, sitting on the couch next to me. "I just wanna do the important part alone, without anyone watching."

I raised my eyebrows. "So you want me to spend my evening in the car just to offer moral support during the ride?"

"Oh, why do I want to go anywhere with you?"

"It was your idea," I pointed out. "For me to come."

"Shut up," she said, leaning against my shoulder. "We're leaving in thirty minutes to get tested, by the way. Dr. M wanted me to tell you."

"Sounds good to me."

Max yawned. "They better not stab me with any needles."

* * *

"No offense to James," Max whispered to me, looking around the waiting room, "but I don't like his office."

"Neither do I," I replied. "It kinda feels like we're genetic experiments in here." The small, white-walled waiting room was completely empty except for a window facing the receptionist's office, two doors, and metal chairs lining the walls. I felt out of place being in here, since I was more accustomed to messier, more casual environments.

Thankfully, our names were called quickly—apparently doctors' offices don't get much business on Wednesdays. We followed the nurse down the long hallway lined with doors and filing cabinets to the room at the end. The entire hallway smelled like latex, like the hospital in Los Angeles, but the lack of masked people gave this place a less foreign feel. Dr. Martinez and Max sat down on the two chairs inside the room, leaving me to climb onto the cushioned patient operating table.

"He'll be here in a few minutes," Dr. Martinez told us. "It's been a while since he's done this, but he knows how to extract DNA as well as anyone."

"He just needs hair or saliva or something like that, right?" Max asked.

Dr. Martinez sighed. "Those would work, but don't expect results as precise or accurate without a proper blood test."

"That's fine," Max said. "Something's better than nothing."

"How will we compensate the lab, by the way?" I asked.

Dr. M waved her hand, setting her purse on the floor. "Don't worry, I have connections."

"You can't seriously get a free DNA test, right?"

"Make that two. And seriously, don't worry about it, Fang. I'll personally make sure both of your results are back soon."

Max frowned slightly, looking at me. I knew Dr. Martinez picked up on it, but to Max and me it was clear that Dr. Martinez intended on paying for our tests.

"Dr. Martinez," I said. "I have money from before we left. Let me pay."

"I know you do, but you don't have a job right now. Hold onto the money you do have in case there's something you really want," she told us.

I opened my mouth to protest, but at that moment the door opened and Mr. Griffiths walked in. "Man, it's been a long time since I've suited up and come in here," he told us.

"Thanks for coming. It really means a lot," I said. "About the DNA test, by the way, what exactly do we have to do?"

He chuckled, setting his manila folder on the table. "Straight to the point, eh? I like it. I'll just need you to sit tight while I extract a few follicles. That's it, really."

"In other words, he'll pull a few pieces of hair," Dr. Martinez translated.

"All right," I said. My eyes followed Mr. Griffiths as he explored the cabinet below me.

He emerged holding two plastic bags, and set them on top of his folder. "Try not to move much, because I'll have to do it again if the follicles get damaged," he said. "And we want to mess up your hair as little as possible, right?"

"Uh, sure."

Thankfully, Mr. Griffiths deemed the first hair sample sufficient. It took several tries with Max, but we were all done within five minutes.

"Thanks a ton for doing this," I told Mr. Griffiths, shaking his hand.

"Oh, no problem," he assured me. "I just thought I'd let you know, I can't guarantee we'll get anything from it. In fact, the most likely result is, well, nothing."

"It's okay, I just want to know we tried."

"In that case," Mr. Griffiths said. "You'll definitely get what you want."

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Will anything come of the DNA test?

(I'm 90% sure nobody will predict everything correctly. If anyone does, I'll have to find a way to specially recognize them and idolize them for being a better plot predictor than I ever dreamed of being.)


	70. Chapter 54

Random Quote of the Week: _"I'm done with your bittersweet, bittersweet tragedy" -Melanie Martinez, in "Bittersweet Tragedy"_

On a random note, I've just started driving this week. I've had my permit for like 5 months but only started practicing a lot this week.

* * *

**Fang's POV**

As I woke up in my fluffy, queen-sized bed, I took a moment to mentally give a huge thank-you to Dr. Martinez for letting me sleep here. I was well-built and not injury-prone, but all the running and sleeping on the ground did take a toll on my body. During the first two weeks we were on the run, I stretched my body's limits more than I ever had, and getting to sleep on a real bed felt like all of it was worth it.

Still, I wasn't sure whether I was really _happier _living in a relatively wealthy household than being homeless. I enjoyed the freedoms of being on the run with Max, like being able to travel wherever and whenever we wanted to. Sure, it was nice being close to friends and family, but living with four other people really limited our freedom. I admired that Dr. Martinez made an effort to let us live our way, but there was only so much we could do when our schedule had to fit with the family's.

"Fang?" Max said softly outside my door, followed by gently knocking.

"Come in," I mumbled in response, sitting up in bed.

She walked in and sat down next to me, leaning back against the wooden headboard. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were droopy but she still looked like the most beautiful girl in the world to me.

"Awake already?" I asked her. According to the clock on my nightstand, it was only six—everyone else in the house except Dr. Martinez and possibly Early Bird Ella was still asleep.

Max nodded, yawning. "Went to bed early last night."

"Me too," I told her. "This might be the only time for the rest of the summer we get breakfast nice and hot."

She pulled my blanket over us. "This is random," she said, a little dreamily, leaning against me and looking up at the ceiling. "But have you thought about whether you want to stay or go?"

I kissed her on the forehead. "Whatever makes you happy, Max."

"What if I don't know what makes me happy?" she asked, closing her eyes.

"You have time to figure out," I told her. "Summer's still another few weeks."

"I just don't wanna mess up our lives by making the wrong choice," Max replied. "I mean, running away is fun but there's so much that could go wrong. I know that didn't matter to me a month ago, but after seeing what life can be like with friends and a safe place to live…it's great also."

"I understand," I assured her, running my hand through her hair. "But think of it as a win-win scenario, where either path leads to happiness."

"I guess so." She sighed, yawning.

Just then, the door opened again, the hinges screeching as Dr. Martinez appeared. I thought she was going to chew us out again for being in the same bed, but her sad expression portrayed no anger or frustration.

"Results came back?" I asked.

She nodded, her eyes slowly moving between Max and me. "I know it sounds crazy, but you'll have to trust me. I need to speak to each of you alone."

I frowned. "Alright," I said, hopping off my bed. I looked back at Max, who seemed just as confused as I was—if the tests didn't discover any conclusive results, there was no reason Dr. Martinez shouldn't have been able to talk to us together. I wanted to think that Max and Ella were found to be sisters, but Dr. Martinez's face told me otherwise. Plus, Ella would've told us by now if that were the case. "I can go first," I told Dr. Martinez.

She sighed, taking one last look at Max. "Living room," she said.

I followed her downstairs, anxiety building inside me. I sensed bad news coming, but what could possibly have gone wrong? We did this with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

When we got to the room, she motioned for me to sit down. "Fang…I'll tell you right now, I didn't want to be the one telling you," she began.

"What happened? Just tell me," I said. "I can handle it."

Dr. Martinez closed her eyes. "Fang…"

"What_ is_ it?" I said through clenched teeth, my voice rising slightly. I was eighteen—I could handle whatever news she had. What could possibly have—

She took a deep breath. "Fang, you and Max are fraternal twins."

I stood up suddenly, my insides feeling like they were burning up. "Tell me you're kidding," I said, my voice as cold as steel.

Dr. Martinez eyed me sympathetically. "I wish I could," she told me, swallowing. "But that's what the test results were, and this lab has never been wrong."

"NO!" I screamed, clenching my teeth. Suddenly, I thought of something—if Max and I were twins, wouldn't we have the same birthday? Mine was in March and hers was in August. Suddenly feeling hopeful, I took a deep breath before opening my mouth. "If what you said is true, why are our birthdays in different months?"

Dr. Martinez paused a moment before replying, "I'm not entirely sure, but I do have a theory. The only possibility I can think of is that your biological parents were young or couldn't afford two kids, and put you both in the foster system. Your foster parents must not have cared enough to tell you your correct birthdays."

I looked at the ground, feeling like punching a wall. "That's—that—"

"Don't give up, Fang," Dr. Martinez said, putting her arm around me. "As likely it is that you two are twins, there's a piece to this puzzle that doesn't fit in my mind. There's always a chance a mistake was made somewhere."

"That's reassuring," I grumbled. "Considering this lab has apparently never messed up before."

"Don't lose hope," she reminded me, one last time, before standing up and walking upstairs.

I wanted to cry, but all my tears were frozen in a block of ice encasing my heart. I coughed several times, slowly making my way to the front door. Stumbling with nearly every step, I ran outside—and promptly tripped, sending me tumbling into the front yard. I lay in the grass, my face buried in my arms.

Everything I'd been through, the insecurities, the struggles—just for things to end like this. Life was unfair, but I'd never dreamed that fate could be _this _unfair. I felt like crawling into a ditch and never getting up. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel, but all I wanted right now was to be anyone but myself.

Replaying Dr. Martinez's words in my head, I suddenly remembered the wish I made on a shooting star the day after I met Max.

_I wish for the strength to never lose hope._

* * *

**Ella's POV**

"Max," I whispered, a tear tracing my cheek. "I'm so sorry."

She coughed, continuing to sob into my shirt. "I—"

I rubbed her back, leaning against the wall. "Shh, it'll be okay," I assured her. Looking around the room, I sighed. How could I convince her things would turn out okay if I couldn't even convince myself?

Max sniffled a few times before burying her face in my chest again and gripping my sheets so hard her knuckles turned white.

I felt like crying just witnessing what had happened since the news came in this morning. After how much emotional pain they went through before getting together, Max and Fang deserved a long life together, not _this. _I couldn't even put into words how bad I felt for both of them.

I thought about Fang, and how he looked to me for advice on what to do when he started loving Max. He was probably somewhere downstairs, undoubtedly distraught and hating his life right now.

I couldn't cry, though. Not when Max needed me to be strong for her. It was heartbreaking seeing Max like this—she was normally so strong, but now she was a blubbering mess. I was usually the one that my friends looked to for comfort, and I wanted to come through for Max, but for once I was at a complete loss to as what to say. I mean, how often did adorable couples find out they were _siblings? _What could I even do? I was so lost in thought I almost didn't notice Iggy walking into my room.

_Later, _I mouthed, as he reached to close the door.

Iggy looked at Max, immediately understanding. _How long? _he mouthed back.

_Soon. She's almost out of tears, I can tell._

He nodded. _Alright, I'll be downstairs._

As the minutes passed, Max's sobs slowly grew quieter until she cried herself to sleep right on my lap.

"Sweet dreams, Max," I whispered, laying her down on the bed. I quietly slipped out of the room, careful not to wake her. I met Iggy downstairs in the kitchen, where he was cooking some bacon in a pan.

"Iggy, really? It's lunchtime and you're still eating bacon?" I scolded him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"It's good stuff," he said, turning off the stove and gently prying me off of him. "Anyways, with everything that's been happening with Max and Fang, I thought we should do something. I was thinking maybe Gazzy and I could take Fang somewhere, and you, Nudge, and Angel could go shopping with Max or something."

"We should," I agreed. "We can't push anything too much though if they're not up for it. Both of them are mentally fragile right now."

"That's true. I really want them to get out, though. It'll do them more good than sitting around the house, once they get over the initial shock."

"They definitely should." I broke a piece of bacon in half. "As horrible as all of this is, it almost makes me feel…lucky to have you. To know that nothing's stopping us from being together and getting married."

"It really does," he said, sighing. "I can't imagine being Fang right now. Of all people, he definitely didn't deserve this."

"Of course he didn't but, if there's one thing I've learned from life, it's that time goes on," I said. "Even when it feels like your world is falling apart, time still goes on and everything around you keeps moving."

I didn't need to tell Iggy what I meant by that. _They'd be okay._

* * *

Please don't kill me...forget it, I'll probably be dead as soon as I hit the "post chapter" button. I did promise a plot twist and I've made sure to deliver :P

And shout out to **Her****mionehp135 **for predicting the plot twist correctly - I'm pretty sure you were joking but congrats on getting it right!

Question of the Chapter: How will things play out after this newest revelation? (there are still 5+ chapters left if that means anything)


	71. Chapter 55

Random Quote of the Week: _"Do you remember the nights we stayed up just laughing, smiling for hours at anything? Remember the nights we drove around crazy in love?" -We the Kings, in "We'll Be A Dream"_

* * *

**Max's POV**

As soon as I woke up, my vision still stained with tears, I shut my eyes tightly. _Go back to sleep, Max…please…_

It was probably best if I woke up, but I had no desire to return to a world so unfair. I couldn't wrap my mind around yesterday, yet I already felt like failure and disappointment were what made up my identity. I was so convinced I had everything I wanted, like I had grasped happiness at long last, only to fall back down, harder than I had ever before.

Still, I couldn't help but think that even though the facts lined up, Fang and I _couldn't _just let this happen. We were stronger together than anything we'd faced in the past.

But what were we supposed to fight this time, ourselves? We were literally our own worst enemies. If I wasn't so hopelessly in love with Fang, maybe I would've been happy—thrilled, even—to be his brother. I had no idea how to act around him. My instincts did me no good—my reaction was to run to my room and sob for hours.

I tried hard, but my body refused to fall back asleep. After a few minutes, the door opened and Ella walked in, carrying a white plate.

"Here's breakfast, Max. I didn't think you wanted to get up, after lying down for so long," she said. _Yeah, more like I didn't want to have to face Fang. _She set the plate on the table by her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Awful," I replied, without hesitation. What more was there to say?

"I'm sorry," she said, going in one ear and out the other. "Anyways, since you can't just lie around all—"

"Why not?" I interjected, wiping my eyes on the blanket and nibbling on a piece of sausage even though I didn't feel like eating.

"Okay, I'll put it this way. At noon today, Nudge, Angel, and I are taking you out to the mall for burgers and clothes shopping."

"Can't you guys just bring something back?" I asked. "I don't care what clothes you get for me."

"That's not the point," Ella told me. "The point is that you have to get up and move around, at least for a little."

"Why do that?"

"Exercise is proven to make your body release hormones that make you feel better, and I can promise you you're not getting much of that lying in bed."

I set my fork back on the plate, untouched save for the end of that one sausage. "How the hell am I supposed to feel better?"

Ella hesitated. "I didn't want to suggest this," she admitted. "But Iggy and I were thinking you could take a look at some other guys in town."

I sighed, sitting up. "Alright, fine," I agreed, reluctantly. I wasn't remotely interested in anyone else, but if it could make me feel better temporarily it was worth a shot.

"Whoa there," Ella said. "Nudge doesn't get back from ballet for another few hours."

"What do we do until then?" I asked.

"How does a run sound?"

* * *

As we ran down Phoenix's sidewalks, passing by shop after shop, I did my best to take in the new sights. Even though Phoenix was a major city, it was a lot more spacious than Los Angeles. The buildings were taller, but farther apart, probably since Phoenix wasn't as earthquake-prone as Los Angeles.

I couldn't help but think of the time Ella, Iggy, Fang, and I spent the day walking around Lake Hollywood Park, with the boys basically carrying me due to my busted knee. That was back when Fang and I were just friends. It was only a month ago, but it felt like a whole different lifetime.

Even though Ella wasn't out of shape at all—she told me she went for runs at the gym several times a week—she was gasping for breath and telling me to slow down about fifteen minutes in.

"What? We're just getting started," I told her.

"I—I don't have the same legs you do," she managed.

I slowed down for the rest of the run, and honestly it felt more like a walk—we had to stop every few minutes for Ella to catch her breath, since she didn't have the same endurance I did. After less than half an hour, Ella decided to turn around and head home. She was sweating like crazy and her face was red, while I had barely broken a sweat.

"Sorry I couldn't go further," she told me, once we got back to the house.

"It's fine," I assured her. "I used to run all the time."

"Yeah, fifty miles on not much food and water I heard. I didn't think that was physically possible until I found out Fang could do that. Even then, nobody's been able to do it but you two."

The air between us suddenly felt heavy—digesting what Ella said, it seemed even clearer that Fang and I were actually siblings. I stared ahead, trying to keep my mind off of what was happening. Suddenly feeling out of energy, I sat down on the porch. Ella really was right. The run did make me feel better, and by some miracle even took my mind off of Fang for a little. But as my muscles began to relax, negativity began permeating my mind once more. I tried to focus on trees in front yards, remembering how I climbed them like a monkey when I was little.

But the bad thoughts kept returning. My willpower just wasn't strong enough.

I was paying so little attention to my surroundings, I didn't notice Nudge twirling down the walkway until she nearly kneed me in the face.

"Hi Max! What are you doing out here, are you like—oh I'm sorry, never mind! Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry about the whole—"

"It's fine," I interjected. I wasn't in the mood to hear sympathy or anything, since it really meant nothing to me at this point.

"Okay, okay," she blurted quickly. "But come inside and get changed. We're going to the maaaaaall!" she sang.

I groaned, getting up and following her upstairs. I was in no mood whatsoever to deal with her perkiness, so I sat down by my bed and put my head in my hands.

"Cheer up, Max," Ella said to my right, placing an arm around me.

I looked up, startled. Had she been in the room the whole time? Probably. My usually sharp senses that would've noticed her in a heartbeat weren't really functioning right now.

"Today's gonna be fun!" she told me, smiling as she brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "We can get you some real clothes now, so you don't have to wear my stuff anymore. When's the last time you went clothes shopping at a real mall?"

"Uh, never," I replied, staring at the ground as I twirled a strand of carpet between my fingers. I realized it felt like twirling grass in my hand, which reminded me of the times Fang and I spent talking for hours on end while leaning against the trunks of trees. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the memories.

"It'll be great, then. The best part is that Mom gave me five hundred bucks just for your clothing, so you can get, like, a bunch of full outfits. Anything you want," she promised me.

"But I don't want more clothing," I protested. "I just want…"

"I know, Max," Ella said, squeezing my shoulder. "But we can't control that right now. And circumstances don't change the fact that happiness is a choice."

"I—" I began, before I felt my throat close up. I closed my eyes tightly, tears threatening to spill. Taking a deep breath, I coughed as I tried not to cry but mere seconds later grief got the best of me. I screamed and cried, burying my face in the pillow Ella handed to me. I didn't care how bad I looked, or the fact that I was supposed to be the tough one. I didn't even know what I really wanted at that point.

The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was climbing under Ella's blankets and wishing I could stay there forever.

* * *

Against my will, my body woke up some hours later. I didn't even try falling back asleep this time.

"Hey Max," Ella said softly. "Do you—"

"No," I groaned. "I'm not going anywhere."

She took a deep breath. "That's not what I saying, don't worry. I was just wondering if you wanted to eat something. You haven't eaten in two days besides that sausage this morning."

"I'm not really hungry."

Ella stood up from beside the bed. "Are you sure? We're about to go eat."

"Positive," I mumbled.

She sighed. "I guess I can't force you," she said, walking out of the room.

I knew I needed to get up and go somewhere, or at least eat. But as hard as I tried to find a desire to do either of those things, all I wanted to do was lie down even if I couldn't sleep.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: Will Max ever get a new boyfriend or is she done for as far as romance goes?


	72. Chapter 56

Random Quote of the Week: _"If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by? 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight," -Vanessa Carlton, in "A Thousand Miles"_

NOTE - I will be on vacation with no laptop for the next two weeks, so for the first time in the history of ANB there will be a **three-week **update rather than a one-week one. Sorry for the inconvenience and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Fang's POV**

"Fang, get up," Iggy called, throwing my blanket off the couch I was temporarily using as a bed. After the test results came back, Iggy thought it was a good idea for me to stay at his house instead. I wasn't going to argue.

"Cold," I mumbled, rolling over and curling into a ball.

"It's eleven in the morning, man. I don't think I've ever seen you sleeping this late."

I sat up on the couch, leaning back on the cushions. "Fine."

"Gazzy and I made you breakfast," Iggy told me, pushing a plate across the coffee table towards me. "More bacon back in the kitchen if you want some."

"This is plenty," I assured him, staring at the three-inch tall stack of bacon sitting in front of me, surrounded by sausages and eggs. "I'm probably not even gonna finish this, dude."

"Where has your appetite gone? I remember the days we used to get up super early and eat mounds of this stuff," Iggy said. He sighed, a little dreamily.

"Maybe, just maybe, because I lived one two cans of food a day for a few months?" I replied. As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. When I thought back to my time on the run, memories of Max filled my mind. I shut my eyes tightly, determined to block them out. But the harder I tried, the more vivid the images appeared in my mind. The time Max and I got in that splash fight in Santa Monica. The baseball game, where I realized I loved her. Finally, the time we confessed to each other after all the indecision we both endured.

All of that just to end up like this.

As I speared a piece of bacon, taking it down in three bites, I realized that as painful and depressing everything was, I could feel that things were still moving. Things were changing, like usual. Time went on. There were just too many variables in life to be defeated by one bad break, however tragic. I couldn't fight it, but I knew I had the mental toughness to stick it out, at least for a while.

"Man, you eat slow," Iggy commented. "It's almost like you're a different person now."

I swallowed a piece of bacon. "Not the time," I warned him.

He put his hands up in surrender. "Alright, Fang. I'm just trying to take your mind off things and, you know, cheer you up, that's all."

"I appreciate it, I really do. But I'd like to finish in silence if that's okay with you."

Iggy shrugged, sliding his hands in his pockets as he sat down next to me. "Whatever you say, boss."

I finished the plate of bacon, by some miracle, without another word and set my plate in the dishwasher. I looked out the window above the sink, staring at the traffic running across the street below. "Ready to head out?" Iggy asked me. "I hear the hot chicks are out around noontime."

I sighed. "Can we go in thirty?"

"Sure thing, boss," he replied, faking a bow as he plopped down on the living room couch.

I walked outside onto the porch, taking a deep breath of fresh air for the first time in two days. More than anything, it reminded me of freedom—freedom from abuse, freedom from pain, freedom from stress. I enjoyed a moment of relief before reality set back in. As much as I tried, no amount of fresh air could fix things right now.

I gazed across the cul-de-sac, my eyes resting on a young couple exiting their car on the driveway. Why couldn't I have that? I didn't want money, fame, or any of that—I just wanted Max. Was that really too much to ask for?

"Let's rock, Fang," Iggy said from behind me. If my nerves were any weaker, I would've jumped.

"I said thirty minutes," I reminded him.

He stared at me. "I know. It's been thirty," Iggy said, checking his watch. "Thirty-three, to be exact."

I shook my head. "All right."

"Sweet, Gazzy is already in town with one of his school friends. He's meeting us at the Starbucks I used to work at, at one."

"You guys are seriously my wingmen?" I asked, more to myself than to Iggy. The blatant truth was, I didn't want to get a new girlfriend. I just wanted Max back, even though I knew I couldn't have her now.

We drove to the mall in relative silence. "The mysterious act is great and all," Iggy told me as we entered the parking garage. "But you're gonna have to talk at least a little if you want any girl to fall for you on the spot."

I shifted in my seat, struggling to get comfortable. "Yeah, yeah."

"You got it, man," he said with a grin, but we both knew he didn't mean it. I had a strong feeling he knew full well I wasn't interested in finding other girls. He just wanted me up and moving, which is why I even agreed to come. "Ooh, look to the right, by the blue car," Iggy stage-whispered, his eyes darting between the parking space he was pulling into and a tall Asian girl carrying a few shopping bags. She must've been about seventeen, given her relatively young-looking face. "Want me to let you out?"

"Nah," I told him. "I'm gonna keep looking." Of course, I had no intention of doing that. Even if I was legitimately single, why would I want to date someone I'd never met before? Just because they were pretty? I loved Max so much partially because she was my best friend as well as ex-girlfriend. We'd been through so much together, so our relationship meant so much more to me than any other one I'd been in. I never felt anything close to this much sadness after my previous breakups.

Iggy sniffed the air, tilting his head upwards. "Hello, world," he said, attempting to speak in a deep voice. "My name is Nicholas Walker, and unless I rate a girl a flawless eleven out of ten I refuse to take a chance on them."

If I wasn't so out of it, I might've laughed. "Whatever, man."

We got out of the car and walked inside. "Gazzy's not done for another hour," Iggy said. "How many do you think you can pick up in that time?"

"You tell me, Iggs."

He nodded, placing a hand on his chin. "I see how it is. Okay then, Fang, if you can get ten girls to give you their phone numbers before one o' clock you can have exclusive access to my secret stash of bacon."

I rolled my eyes. I had no intention of coming close to Iggy's standards, and he knew it very well.

"So let's begin. Ooh, see her over there?" Iggy asked, pointing at a skinny blonde girl going down the escalator. "C'mon, let's—oh wait, she has a boyfriend. Moving on…" He led me down the mall's hallways, passing repulsive shop after repulsive shop.

During the hour we spent walking around the bustling indoor mall, we passed at least a hundred girls that Iggy pointed out, all of which I waved off. Some of them really were good-looking, but I didn't hesitate before telling Iggy to keep it moving.

"Fang, get with it now," Iggy said, shaking his head in mock disappointment as we sat down on a bench. "Is nobody in this mall good enough for you?"

I nodded slowly, taking a sip of the orange juice Iggy bought me. "Yes, Iggy. Nobody here meets my sky-high standards."

He stared at me for a moment before shrugging, as if giving up on me. "You drive a hard bargain, man. At least this means I can keep my bacon now."

"Whatever. Can you take me home now?" I asked him.

Iggy raised his eyebrows. "You sure you don't wanna hang out with Gaz and me for the afternoon?"

"Another time," I replied. "I'm tired now. Actually, can you take me to Ella's house? I need to talk to her."

He eyed me strangely, but stood up. "Alright. Whatever you say, master."

We drove back in silence, and Iggy dropped me off in front of the Martinez house. After thanking him for the ride, I walked up to the door. I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell, still not sure what I wanted to say to Ella.

The door opened three seconds later, revealing El—no, Max.

"Oh," she said quickly when she saw me, stepping back a little. "Hey."

"Hi," I replied softly. "So…anything happening?"

Max shook her head. "Just been sitting around, pretty much. You?"

"Not really. I went to the mall."

"I was gonna go yesterday but I was too tired."

"Oh, ok." I mentally sighed. This was the most awkward conversation I'd been in, in my entire lifetime.

"I have to go," Max said, suddenly. "See you later, Fang."

Before I could respond, I found myself staring at a wooden door. So much for that.

* * *

Question of the Chapter: What was Max thinking when she shut the door? And what will come of what happened in this chapter?


	73. Chapter 57

Hey guys I'm back! A year older as well :P Sorry for the long wait, it shouldn't happen again.

* * *

**Max's POV**

For the first time in four days, I sat down a the kitchen table and picked up a daily newspaper resting on a stool and flipped to the entertainment section. I hadn't read one since before Fang and I had even left Arizona for the first time, but with all the depressing stuff going on in my life I wanted to see some funny things happening, even if they didn't affect me. I'd somewhat come to terms with the fact that I'd never be happy, even though it had only been three days.

Even though I was two hours late, there was still bacon and sausage in a pan on the stove. For a dangerous moment I thought about turning on the stove and warming them up, but thought better of it and slid them onto a plate. Cold breakfast was better than no breakfast.

"Good morning, Max," Ella said behind me, taking a seat to my right. "Anything interesting in the news?"

"Um, kind of. On the front page someone won a ten million dollar jackpot four days after donating two hundred bucks to charity."

"That's always nice to read," she said, taking a sip of orange juice. "Last year, my English teacher read so much sad news that to make himself feel better, he made all his students write a short story with a happy ending."

"Oh," I replied. For some reason, I found my eyes stuck to my plate. "Sounds like a fun assignment."

"Yeah, better than writing ten pages on the ins and outs of the stock market. Anyways, are you up for clothes shopping today?" she asked.

"Not really," I admitted. "I don't really feel like doing anything today."

"All right." Ella shrugged. "Perhaps we could go next week?"

"Maybe." I sat down on the couch, kicking my feet up on the coffee table, and thought about how bitterly unfair my life was.

I turned on the television and scrolled through the channels, but found nothing but commercials and fashion shows. So much for "entertainment". I'd only gotten through about ten channels before giving up and turning the TV off.

Groaning, I lay down on the couch and wished I was tired enough to fall asleep. I closed my eyes, my breathing steadying. The white leather couch felt really comfortable and cool, compared to the hot dry air flowing through the open windows by the couch. I allowed my mind to drift off, picturing myself running through a forest, knifing between trees as I dodged all the branches perfectly. It almost reminded me of—

The front door opened with a loud squeak, and Dr. M stepped through. I barely lifted my head in response, too lethargic to greet her, even though I'd only just woken up. She sat down on the couch opposite me.

"Max, I…" she started, her voice soft and shaky. "I don't know where to begin."

"Yeah?" I asked, looking at her. She twisted her unsteady hands together.

"There was a mix-up at the lab…" A smile started to spread on her face, becoming a grin. "I checked with Dr. Griffths a dozen times, just to make sure he was right."

I couldn't really bring myself to care. "Oh, okay." As great a person he was, I had no interest in Dr. Griffiths' lab experiments.

"You're my daughter, Max," Dr. M said.

I sat up so quickly I got light-headed, disbelief coursing through me. "So then Fang and I—"

"—aren't related, no."

I gasped. "Oh my goodness, really?" My heart began to feel whole again, finally piecing back together.

"Yes!" Dr. Martinez cried, hugging me tightly. "We can talk more later; you should see Fang now though."

"Where is he?" I asked, suppressing the desire to squeal and jump up and down like a little girl. Really, though, what feeling was better than getting the love of my life back?

"He's back at Iggy's house, I was going to let you tell him."

"Thanks!" I ran to the door, tripping on a pair of Nudge's heels and faceplanting into the carpet. Feeling no pain whatsoever, I hopped up and stepped onto the porch. Adrenaline flowing swiftly through my veins, I arrived at Iggy's house within seconds.

"FANG!" I yelled, opening the unlocked door, barely noticing the expansive lobby featuring several stains on the wall undoubtedly courtesy of the boys.

Fang appeared at the top of the staircase seconds later, his hair a mess and his eyes droopy. "Max?" he called.

"We're not twins! Dr. Martinez told me!"

"Really?" His eyes widened as he started down the staircase—nearly sprinting once he realized I was serious. The hardness in his expression that had developed over the past few days melted immediately.

He hugged me tightly, and I breathed in his slightly sweaty but comforting scent I'd gotten so used to. My heart felt like it was going to explode in screaming colors, and I missed the sensation more than I'd imagined.

"Oh my gosh," he whispered, closing his eyes and gasping for breath. "I love you so much, Max."

"I love you more." I kissed him, pressing my forehead against his. Oh my _G__od, _I missed this so much. The calming yet exciting sensation his soft, slightly salty lips brought me was more addicting than anything else I'd experienced.

_This _was the fairytale ending I'd dreamed of.

I never wanted to be rich, famous, popular, or anything. I just wanted Fang. And now I knew with utmost certainty I had him forever.

We walked back to the Martinez house, our hands clasped together, and sat down on the couch. "I can't believe it," he muttered, holding me tightly. "I'm just so happy to have you back."

I closed my eyes, leaning on his shoulder. "Me too."

"So, kids!" Dr. Martinez called, walking into the living room wearing the widest smile I'd ever seen on her. "After all that's happened the past few days, I suppose you'd like to know how it all went down?"

"Sure," Fang said, almost indifferently. I couldn't blame him, I didn't care all that much how everything happened. I just knew I had my Fang back, and that was all that mattered to me.

"I'm not sure of all the details, but in short there was a mix-up regarding the labeling of the samples"

"So they found a match between Ella's and Max's?" Fang asked.

Dr. Martinez nodded. "Exactly. And since the bags weren't labeled properly, he reported that Fang and Max were fraternal twins."

I cleared my throat. "How'd they find out it was wrong?"

"Well, after a few days, Dr. Griffiths looked at more pictures of you two and decided there was no way you could be twins. He retrieved the samples and re-labeled the bags, correctly, and send them back in. At first the lab was confused, since when they looked, both of your genes share the same deficiency—"

"Deficiency?" Fang frowned.

"I mean, it's technically called a deficiency in lab terms but in reality it's anything but deficient. Since normal cells aren't perfectly efficient in generating energy from nutrients, the human body leaves a lot of room for improvement. And I'm not sure how it happened, but both of you have the same deficiency. Your cells are much more efficient than normal human cells, and I'm not sure how to explain it all but in short you need less food than the average human."

"Oh, that's why," Fang remarked. "Anyways, would it be possible if we weren't, like, studied?"

"Of course," Dr. Martinez. "I made the lab promise not to divulge the results, and I have no intention of surrendering my daughter and future son-in-law to genetic science."

I stood up. "Thanks so much," I told Dr. Martinez, hugging her tightly. "One more thing, do you know how Ella and I were separated at birth?"

"Well, first off my husband was away when I gave birth to the twins," she said. "You were actually both born via Caesarian section. I was informed I had twins and one of them didn't make it. I wasn't told what happened after this, but I'm theorizing a doctor stole you, Max, since he somehow knew your genes were different. I have no clue how he'd manage to do it though, with all the security. Anyways, I'm thinking he took you to a lab but they refused to turn you into an experiment out of kindness and sent you into the foster system, and you know the rest. I'm just guessing, though—you don't have to believe me."

I stared ahead at the black screen of the TV. This was my life story? I thought my life was hectic as it was, just living with my "parents". I wasn't sure how much Dr. Martinez got right, but a lot must've happened in order for me to go from her household to a foster home. "I never would've guessed that."

"Not many would've," she said, pausing. "And there's a very good chance I'm wrong."

"I'm just gonna go ahead and believe you," I said. "A reasonable story is better than not knowing."

"That'll work. Speaking of work, I have to leave in five minutes even though I called in late. I'm really happy for the both of you, though. After everything that's happened, you deserve a good break like this," Dr. Martinez laughed.

"See you later." Fang nodded, standing up and giving her a big hug. I'd almost forgotten how close they were, and still are.

"And one more thing, Max," she said, turning around and heading up the stairs. "Iggy said he's ready to go tomorrow."

Once she was out of sight, I turned to Fang. "I can't believe it. It's hard to believe this crazy story she just told us is my life."

"I know right, it's almost like—"

"MAX! MAX! OH MY GOSH, MAX!" Ella screamed from upstairs, her footsteps thundering across the ceiling and down the stairs. She appeared in the living room within seconds, and before I could react she flung herself across the couch and onto me, hugging me suffocatingly tight. "This is amazing! I can't believe we're twins!"

"Neither can I!" It was almost like a dream come true, given how many times I'd suspected it.

And that was the icing on the one-of-the-best-days-of-my-life cake.

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Of course! I know you guys knew it was just a matter of time until this happened. It's not over yet but the end is in close sight - ANB only has two or three more chapters left.


	74. Chapter 58

Random Quote of the Week: "Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken," -Evanescence, in "Hello"

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**Max's POV**

I sat on the edge of my bed—well, it wasn't technically 'mine' since Ella and I both slept on the floor—staring at Ella's closet in front of me. I found it hard to wrap my mind around the idea that I'd be able to wear a new outfit every day. Even though I had already gotten in the mood of a sedentary lifestyle, that was one luxury I didn't think I'd ever get used to. Plus, when clothes got dirty I could just walk down the hallway and toss them in the washing machine rather than having to locate a laundromat. I almost felt like a normal kid now, living out a typical summer vacation.

When I looked in the mirror, I didn't see a scared little girl like the one that lived in Tucson two months ago. I saw a brave young woman, free from everything that used to hold her back. My once-wild eyes had gained a mature steadiness.

Today was just a matter of coming full circle. And settling things once and for all.

Since I was little, I knew Tucson wasn't my home. Sure, I lived there, but it never felt like home to me. I never felt safe or comfortable there like I did here with the Flock. There was a reason I spent all my time running _outside _the city. It was a nice place and all, with beautiful sunsets, but I couldn't even begin to express how grateful I was to live a mile from the city limits.

I reckoned that actually sealing the deal would be the easy part. Two months of living with Fang as an adult, and going through the trials that came with a runaway life prepared me for this. It felt sudden at the beginning, but I now realized everything that happened since running away was merely a transition from living virtually alone to being part of an amazing family that truly cared about me.

In a way, everything I went through with my foster parents was worth it. Seventeen miserable years for a lifetime of all I ever wanted? Who wouldn't want that? Sure, a pampered lifestyle had its perks, but it doesn't require any mental toughness. My circumstances forced me to develop strength and perseverance. I was bitter about things back in Tucson, but now I fully believed that everything happens for a reason. I wouldn't have been abused like that if there was nothing I could take away from it.

Even losing Fang outside of Los Angeles, and more recently this week, taught me something—how much I needed him. He wasn't just my boyfriend at this point, he'd become _part _of me after everything we went through together.

Since I had run away, I'd grown from a defensive, impulsive teenager into a young woman ready to take on the world in its full glory. I'd learned to believe in myself.

I heard a knock on my door. "Ready to go?" Fang asked, his voice muffled but intent clear.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I replied, standing up and following him and Iggy out to the car. Dr. Martinez had volunteered to drive, but oddly enough I felt more comfortable not having an adult to lean on. Tonight was about _me_, and whether I had it in me to rise to the occasion.

As we drove to Tucson, I felt like my senses were on hyper-alert. I noticed every bump in the road, every time Fang's face twitched, every mile marker that passed by. I saw the sun slowly set in the distance.

After what felt like ten hours, I felt Fang put his hand on my shoulder. I instinctively jumped before sitting back in my seat and taking a deep breath.

"Hey," he said. "Don't be nervous. You've spent all day talking yourself into this. Now's not the time."

I blinked several times. He was right. I told myself over and over in front of the mirror, "Be strong, Max. Believe in yourself."

And I truly believed it.

Now that my moment was approaching, I felt like a prisoner all over again. It was almost like I left the new Max back in Phoenix.

"Stay strong, Max," Fang told me. "True strength never disappears. True freedom lasts forever."

I leaned back against my seat. I began shivering, even though it wasn't even cold out. "Can you, uh, pass the water, Iggy?" I asked.

"Sure thing," he said, tossing an unopened plastic bottle back without looking up. "We'll be at Tucson in twenty, by the way."

I closed my eyes tightly, taking a long sip. "You can do this, you can do this, you can do this," I repeated to myself. I leaned over and buried my face in Fang's chest, and when he wrapped his arms around me I never wanted him to let go.

Suddenly, I felt his hands on my shoulders, pushing me away. "Fang—"

"Max, no. Twenty minutes left to mentally prepare yourself. Even though we both know we need each other, you don't need me for this," he said, gently but firmly. "I love you too much to let you down here. You wanted this opportunity, now you have it. It's time to focus."

I wanted to protest, to tell Iggy to turn around, but I found myself saying, "You're right." I stared out the window, the landmarks slowly becoming more and more familiar.

In a good way.

The only time I ever went out this far was on my daily runs, one of the very few fulfilling memories I had from this city. Rolling down the window to breathe in the fresh air, I felt like I was free again, on the run with nothing holding me down.

"We're here," Iggy announced, although I already knew. "I dunno where your folks are at, but we just passed the limits."

"Just drop me off here. Be back here in, like, half an hour." I opened the car door and stepped out. I wanted to look back, but my feet refused to turn around. I heard Iggy drive off, and could practically see Fang behind me, smiling.

I shook my head, crossing the street and passing the taco place I'd seen so many times. This wasn't about making Fang proud. This was about _me._ I had eighty more years to spend with that boy. I had ten minutes right now before I reached my parents' house.

With nobody else on the streets, I could hear my footsteps echoing through the darkness. I felt like I was walking straight into hell and heaven at the same time. I turned a corner onto the street my parents lived on. I recognized the row of trees lining the road, the cracks in the asphalt from the lazy construction workers. As I approached the house, my shoes began to feel like they were made of lead. My knees began to give way, and I had to stop to catch myself from falling. My heart was racing at a mile a minute. I felt like lying down and curling into a ball.

I remembered what Fang told me. _True strength never disappears. True freedom lasts forever._

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Then another, until I began to feel like myself again. My strength would never disappear, even in the face of everything I couldn't stand.

I walked up to the door and rang the doorbell twice. Within seconds, Jeb's face appeared in the window. After his shocked expression passed, he stared at me, giving me his fiercest scowl and probably expecting me to break down.

I took a deep breath and rang the bell again.

This time, Jeb wasn't so diplomatic. He opened the door suddenly and violently shoved the spot where I was standing before I jumped back. "Worthless child," he grumbled. "About time you came back."

"It is about time," I agreed. "But I'm only coming back for a few minutes. I'm going home after this."

"This _is _your home," Jeb snarled, clumsily walking onto the wooden porch. He stepped aside and pointed a finger at the open doorway. "Get inside right now!"

"What's going on here?" Marian called, from upstairs.

"Max is here!" Jeb yelled back, annoyance prevalent in his voice. "Get down here!"

"Jeb, this isn't my home. I don't care if I lived here for seventeen years. My home is where my heart is, and that's with my _real _family. Not who adopted me, but people who actually love me and care about me."

"Your house is here," he sneered, as if expecting me to obey without questioning like I had for so many years. "You're underage. Get back in here and I'll show you how to behave."

Just then, Marian appeared at the top of the staircase. "What are you doing here, Max?" she asked, frowning.

I looked her in the eyes, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop me. "I'm just here to tell you guys I have my own life now and won't be coming back."

She coughed into the sleeve of her striped suit jacket. "Fine. You left, so stay gone. I don't care."

"Marian!" Jeb screamed, turning around to glare at her. "She's underage! We still have to take care of her."

"Actually, if you really _took care _of me, you'd know I'm eighteen now. I'm a legal adult," I told him.

Jeb's eyes went wild before he suddenly turned around. "I'm calling the cops. You ran at seventeen, and that ain't legal."

"Jeb!" Marian yelled. "That's enough. Max, I'll say this nicely one more time. You ran away, so get out and stay gone if you know what's best for you."

"My pleasure, _Marian. _At least you have more sense than your husband. One more thing," I said, taking a deep breath. "TOTAL!" I heard three barks from down the hallway and smiled. "Here boy!" I called, as my black furry puppy leapt into my arms. I looked at Jeb and Marian before turning my back on their house for the second time, this time without hesitation or reluctance. "For the last time, goodbye." I didn't turn around as I heard the door slam shut.

"I missed you!" I told Total, as he leaned up and licked my face. "It's okay now, Total. I'm not leaving again."

He panted a few times, shifting around to get comfortable in my arms. Thankfully, he was pretty small—probably about the size of a deflated basketball.

"Don't worry, we'll get you fed and washed soon," I assured him. "I can't wait for you to meet our _real _family."

The walk back to the car probably took ten minutes, like last time, but it felt more like ten seconds. I felt so _happy _to have just gotten things over with. My heart felt free and my mind just seemed to have forgotten how to think negatively. There was no reason to look back at all now, except at the time Fang and I spent on the run. Looking around at the trees and buildings I had memorized after seeing so many times, I realized how much easier it was than I thought it would be. One look at Jeb, and I knew he had nothing on me. The old, fearful me was dead and gone.

* * *

This was truly my favorite chapter to write in a _long _time...the last time I enjoyed writing a chapter as much as this one was Chapter 41.

Question of the Chapter: When Max started to feel nervous/insecure in the middle of the chapter, did you think she'd end up rebounding the way she did?


	75. Chapter 59

Last chapter guys! Sorry for the late update, I'm not gonna bore you with excuses. Let's do this!

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**Fang's POV**

"Why are we watching this again?" Max asked me, as _SportsCenter _played on the living room television.

"I don't know.." I had no real interest in professional sports anymore. It was too much to keep track of, and I found it hard to care about something that didn't impact the life of anyone I knew. "Have your way," I told her, passing the remote.

She hit the power button, the television silencing with a final _zap. _"There's never anything interesting on there." Max closed her eyes and leaned back on the cushions. Unlike yesterday, where frown lines had furrowed her face as she tried to hold herself together, she now looked peaceful.

Max's unsteady breathing and shaky hands, probably against her will, made it clear that she was close to breaking down at times, but at the same time I knew that was when she was strongest. In addition to discovering herself and growing exponentially over the past few months, she'd learned to bend without breaking.

It was amazing to see, and even more magical to be a part of. At this point, I couldn't imagine ever dating anyone but Max—not because of how she looked, because there were plenty of girls that looked similar to her—but because she was _my _Max. No other girl had grown up alongside me like Max had. When I thought back to our time on the run, all of the memories had Max's name written on them. Sure, I was close friends with Ella and Nudge for over a decade, but they weren't as much a part of me as Max was. I hung out with them several times a week. I spent almost every second of every day with Max.

The only other person I was that close to was Angel. Living with the same parents as me, she was the only person who could truly understand where I was coming from when I made major decisions, like running away. The adults were wise and experienced, but none of them grew up in an abusive household like we had.

As much as I'd seen others grow, the best part of it all was experiencing myself grow. I'd come to trust and appreciate my friends more. I came to terms with the power of my words. Most of all, I learned what it was like to truly love someone as more than a friend, or even a sister.

I shifted on the couch, the box in my pocket pressing uncomfortably against my leg. "I know it's been a while since we talked about this, but do you still want to run away? It's a little late for me to enroll for senior year, so either we'll be on the run or working low-paying jobs here," I said.

"That should be an easy choice…" she mused. "A year of freedom or a year of working our hides off."

"Yeah, I know," I said, frowning. I didn't enjoy work any more than she did. "But there's also Dr. Martinez we have to consider."

"Won't it be the same either way?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Either we live here now, and move out as soon as possible, or we run away while relying on the Martinez's support, come back, live here some more, and still go through the trouble of moving out, just later."

Max picked up a pillow, squeezing it flat with her arms. "I guess you're right," she said. "There's also Angel to think about. I'd much rather live a few minutes from her then be hundreds of miles away with limited communication."

"You know I'd like that too. Well, all the facts are on the table now. I did promise I'd let you decide two weeks ago, and I'm sticking to that promise. What do you say?" I asked.

Several seconds passed. A gentle breeze from the half-opened window coursed through the room. I thought about the time Max was attacked, and how Dr. Martinez dropped everything to drive up and help her. I knew the decision was up to Max, but wasn't it obvious what was right?

She glanced over at me and said, "We're staying."

I smiled, relieved but a little sad that we'd never have our old life back. I'd miss everything about it, even not knowing where we were going to sleep any given night, but I knew moving on was for the best. "I thought you'd say that."

"What will we ever do to support ourselves though? I mean, we're used to freeloading off of the work of others, not actually working ourselves."

I laughed, turning and wrapping my arms around her. "I don't know, Maxie. Maybe we'll have to, you know, actually grow up. We're technically both adults now."

She hugged me back. "Accidentally growing up. I love it."

"That's not what you said two weeks ago," I reminded her, kissing her forehead.

"But I said just now that we're accidentally growing up," she told me. She melted into my embrace, setting her hand against my chest.

A loud bark pierced the air. My eyes flew open, and I saw Max's do the same. I scanned the room until I saw Total, Max's fluffy black dog, perched on the fireplace mantle. Smiling, I rubbed Max's back knowing the cheerful little creature would be living with me for the rest of his life.

"Breakfast time!" Nudge yelled.

Max groaned as she pried herself off of me, but I wasn't concerned—we had many years in front of us. The past two months were only a taste of what was to come for Max and me.

We ate breakfast in relative quietude, without Iggy and Gazzy to spice things up. "Dr. Martinez, do you have a moment for Max and me now? We've made up our minds," I told Dr. Martinez, as we set our plates in the dishwasher after the meal.

She nodded. "Sure, I'll meet you guys in my room in a couple minutes," Dr. Martinez told us, as she pressed a few buttons on her dishwasher. "I just gotta clean up down here first."

"Sounds good," I told her. I looked at Max, who nodded, and we started on our way upstairs. When we sat down on the chairs against the wall, I asked Max, "Are you sure about this? Once your Mom finalizes her work schedule, we can't change our minds."

Max nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, I'm a hundred percent sure."

"I guess that's the end of running away," I said.

"Nice being a runaway with you."

"Ditto." My mind drifted to the plan I had made yesterday, and I took deep breaths to calm myself.

Max sighed. "I don't know how we'll survive as eighteen-year-olds in the work force, though."

"Neither do I. But we'll find a way. We always do."

"You're right," she said, pursing her lips.

A soft but shrill squeak pierced the air, the sound of the room's double doors opening. Dr. Martinez walked over and sat down in the chair across from us.

"We're staying," Max told her. "We decided it'd be less work for you to house us now than to support us on the run, and house us later if we need a place to come back to."

Dr. Martinez nodded. "Okay," she said, her face relaxing. I didn't doubt that she would support us either way, but she appeared relieved about our choice. "I assume you're on board, Fang?"

"Of course," I replied, putting my hands in my pockets. I opened the velvety box I had there, and closed it again.

"I never thought I'd have to face this," Max said. "But now that we're in civilization, will the police be on my case for running away at seventeen?"

Dr. Martinez immediately shook her head. "You'll be fine, I promise. Tucson is over a hundred miles from here, and now that you're eighteen the police won't blink an eye. Even if you were still seventeen, I'd wager you'd be all right. Laws against runaway kids are more geared towards younger children to protect their safety."

Max took a deep breath. "Okay, that sounds good. And as much as I love living here, Mom, for both of our sakes we'll be out of here as soon as we can."

She smiled, her eyes sparkling. I knew it made her happy to be called "Mom". "Of course. Just remember that wherever life takes you, you'll always have a home back here." She glanced knowingly at me.

I had a feeling that the next time I left, I wouldn't be coming back, but that didn't mean I wouldn't see my friends. Max and I would probably stay in an apartment in Phoenix, not far from the Flock. We'd have to come hang out with them at least a few times a week.

My hands twitched as I watched Dr. Martinez leave the room. I'd been planning this since yesterday, and I had no reason to think anything could go wrong, but could I really do this? I felt like I was opening the door to something bigger than I could fathom, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

"Wanna go somewhere?" Max asked suddenly. "Now that I think about it, I haven't really been outside the house much the past few days."

"Sure thing," I replied. I needed some fresh air to clear my head, and I couldn't disagree that being cooped up inside the house was getting monotonous.

"Where to?" she mused, squeezing the chair's fluffy armrest. "You know the area better than I do."

"It's been a while," I admitted. "What do you say we start at the big mall? Just about everything's in there."

Max shrugged. "Sure."

Thankfully, Ella was home and was willing to take us. Fifteen minutes later, Max, Ella, and I stood outside by the mall's doors.

"I'll pick you guys up this evening," Ella told us, handing me her phone. "You can call Iggy or Mom if you need anything. There's a hundred dollars in the back of the case if you wanna buy anything."

"Thanks," I said, knowing we wouldn't spend any of her money. I had a few twenties in my pocket from my own stash.

Once she drove off, we walked inside, hand-in-hand. The feeling I got with Max's warm, soft hand in mine was priceless. Despite the colored lights and background noise from stores and other people, somehow Max held my undivided attention.

The box grew cold against my leg. I imagined a bright future , which could be a reality if I could find the courage in me.

We wandered the expansive mall aimlessly, probably passing by each store five times. If anyone was paying attention, they probably would've thought we were crazy, but why rush to stop when we had forever in front of us?

Per Max's request, we eventually stopped at a Starbucks. I smiled as we walked in, taking in its familiarity. Even though we were hundreds of miles away from the last Starbucks we went to, it looked virtually the same. The cushioned chairs against the wall reminded me of the days we camped out in here solely for the air conditioning. You'd think I'd want to forget times like those, right? It was the complete opposite. I wasn't going to lie to myself, I missed being on the run. But knowing I still had Max, I could let it go.

To Max's dismay, both cushioned chairs were taken so we sat at a booth close to the counter. I ordered two smoothies for us, the same flavor Max had during the time Iggy and Ella visited us.

"This brings back memories," Max mused, as the waiter slid the drinks onto the brown, polished table.

I took a long sip, savoring the sweet, fruity flavor. "Couldn't agree more."

"Like that time when you darn near killed yourself in the bathroom trying to get changed?"

"And how you got us kicked out of the place on our first day in LA?" I raised my eyebrows.

Her mouth dropped open. "Oh, _I _got us kicked out? That was all you!"

"Maybe it was," I admitted. "Good times."

"Good times, good times," Max agreed, tossing her cup in the trash with a clean _swish _from halfway across the store. Her trash can basketball skills never failed to amaze me.

I gazed out the store's glass doors, watching people walk by. "We should go back there one day."

"Of course, we have to."

I took a deep breath, shaking my head. I could do this. It was time. "How does going there for our honeymoon sound?"

I stood up, walked to her side, and knelt down in front of Max, taking out a black box. "Max, for the past two months you've been everything to me. I can't imagine a world without you. I've only been truly happy when we're together, so what do you say about making me happy forever? We don't have to get married right away though, I don't mind waiting a few years since we're still young."

Max nodded, her mouth open as if she was in a daze. She took a deep breath, blinking back tears, and replied, "Yes. A million times, yes. I love you forever, Fang."

"I love you too," I told her, standing up. "I'll upgrade in time, but I hope this'll do for now." I slid the plastic wedding ring Angel gave me so long ago onto her finger, my arms sliding around behind her back.

I kissed her, enveloping her familiar figure. This was the girl I'd be spending the rest of my life with, and there was nobody else in the world who I'd rather marry than Max. My mind was torn between peace and excitement. Everything felt so perfect. Max and I were safe and, most importantly, together—forever.

I knew I had a new life to look forward to, a new beginning, but all that mattered was that Max was with me at that moment.

If you asked me, that was our fairytale ending right there.

* * *

And that's all she wrote.

Thank you so, so much to everyone who read the story, subscribed, reviewed, or messaged me. It means the world to me that you guys cared enough to dedicate your time to reading/reviewing A New Beginning. It made every 3 AM writer's block episode worth it.

I know many people have spoken to me about this, but if you're even thinking about publishing something you've written on FFN, I think you should go for it. You never know what could come of it. When I first joined the site, I was just a reader and commented on a few stories. I started my first FF a month before ANB, called Wings, since I was inspired by what I read. ANB started as a fun little project I wrote after school one day. I didn't even edit it, I just went on and posted. I was right in my initial prediction that it would take place over the course of a few months. I thought it would be 10 chapters long and include a few month-long timeskips. It turned out drastically differently, 75 chapters and 150k+ words long with no time-skips longer than 12 hours. I never thought it would get 1400 reviews, 200 followers, and be on the front page of MR FFs. More importantly, I never thought I would make as many friends as I have on here through it.

Some of you have asked about a sequel, and I've thought about it but at this point I can say with certainty that there will be no sequel. I'm happy with how ANB ended, and I don't feel like there's a need to add a sequel. Back about a year ago, I was thinking about extending the plot to include how they make their way in the world as young adults but ultimately decided against it. I hope you guys as readers are happy with how it ended as well. My sister was begging me to end the story with Max and Fang as twins, and I thought about it, but that's not what my vision for the story was. ANB was designed to be an inspiring story, not a tragic one. Sure, some parts of it are tragic, but those are the parts where the characters grow most.

People have also asked about whether I plan on staying on FFN after ANB ended, and I've known this for several months now - this will probably be the last fanfiction I write. Not that I don't enjoy writing anymore, or like the community any less, I just feel like I've used my best ideas to craft a story I'm proud of and anything more I write won't stack up. My inspiration to write isn't all that strong right now, I'm just grateful it was strong enough to finish the story and not leave you guys hanging.

I originally had a 1500-word final A/N but it got deleted due to 90-day inactivity by FFN. I don't think it's necessary to re-write all of it to get my points across, so I'll just leave it at this: it'll all be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

A few last thank you's: 1) To my beta, **Tokoloshe Monster**, who's been helping me a ton with all aspects of the story for 40+ chapters now, and my former beta, **xX-Twitch-Xx **for helping me through the earlier part of the story. 2) To everyone who's PMed me or commented, talking with everyone was my favorite part of being on here. And 3) To everyone reading this, you deserve mad props if you've made it this far reading ANB.

If anyone would like to talk with me, just review or PM - I'll respond to all PMs and reviews for this chapter.

With much gratitude,

heartofglass99 aka. Joey


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